Extreme Cashmere

July 22, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Every so often a label appears out of nowhere that piques my interest. Well, in case of Extreme Cashmere, it made me completely, completely fall in love. This is what I want to have in my wardrobe, starting from September: a cashmere t-shirt (in all colours possible), a cashmere pullover in khaki, a pair of cashmere wide-legged trousers with elastic waistband in light grey. Shortly speaking, I want all my wardrobe classics in cashmere, and specifically in this over-sized, all-time friendly silhouettes Extreme Cashmere offers.

Since its founding in 2016, this Amsterdam-based brand has been dedicated to creating and producing the ultimate cashmere wardrobe for everybody and every body. The brand follows a clear aesthetic of reinvented classic styles in surprising colours and shapes, unisex and unisize, suited for all seasons and all occasions, austere yet playful, designed to be used and loved for a long time. Extreme Cashmere articulates one ever-evolving and seasonless collection that continuously gets refined, redefined and altered. Four times a year an ‘edition’ of fifteen styles that offer new knits, colours and designs are presented and added to the collection. The brand’s uncompromising focus on establishing styles with a long-lasting nature is also reflected in the sole use of cashmere stretch of the best quality available against a fair price (stop here: comparing to The Row’s cashmere goods, those prices are quite level-headed). Oh my, how can something look (and surely feel) so fleecy and fluffy, and simultaneously look aesthetically pleasing?

I know you will love this heaven. Discover the brand here.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki; all photos via the brand’s site and Instagram.

Real. Marine Serre SS19

September 25, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Marine Serre’s second runway collection is best proof that she’s one of the most promising emerging designers out there in Paris. Her last collection was all about futuristic athleisure with a cosmic twist. Spring-summer 2019 is suited for daily errands down here on planet Earth. Serre’s already signature moon crest prints and scarf dresses (made of already existing, silk stock) were here, but there were many, many new additions that continue to make this label feel totally fresh. There’s tailoring, pimped up with Serre’s sporty sensibility; upcycled, couture-ish evening-wear that had a cool, utilitarian attitude about it; menswear that will surely please both, boys and girls. But what’s most important, the collection is fit for everyday life, even though it’s not about trivial basics. Plastic bags for groceries and patched jackets made of thick denim, perfect for a motorcycle ride. Some models walked the runway with their children (all wearing Marine’s crest printed outfits, of course), and some had their babies stylishly strapped in the front of their chests, raising the bar for mum-accessories in fashion. A wardrobe for a variety of life aspects. But what’s most impressive about it is that Serre’s visual language doesn’t get lost in all that. Each piece is distinctly her. And that’s an achievement, especially since Marine Serre isn’t a big, old brand.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Classics. Salvatore Ferragamo SS19

September 23, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s the second season at Salvatore Ferragamo for Paul Andrew (who does womenswear) and Guillaume Meilland (menswear), and it seems that the two are a perfect match for this Italian, heritage house that specialises in leather goods. The designers, who gracefully coordinate their roles in order to create a harmonious image of the brand, prove their integrity with this grown-up, well-considered line-up. From the casting (Stella Tennant opening the show, Carolyn Murphy closing) to the colour palette (neutrals, like sun-kissed beige and khaki, contrasted with bright turquoise or orange), it’s all about classics. There’s shirting; there’s gorgoeus outerwear; there’s evening wear that stuns with craftsmanship. Menswear is equally good – we’ve got absolute essentials like trench coats and elegant pants, all refined and kept in a loose fit. The footwear and bags (the stuff that Ferragamo sells the most) are as well refreshed. Somehow, after all these years, you want to enter the brand’s store and take hold of their goods. Paul and Guillaume, bravo!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

In Paris. APC AW18

March 10, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

I always consider A.P.C. as intellectual fashion. No, it’s rather a lifestyle. Jean Touitou is the master of simple, yet great quality shirts, dresses, denim and jackets. The autumn-winter 2018 collection for women and men is something of student geek and… Paris. Sorry, I know, I’m the slave of this cliché. But the mini red dress with white-collar and sleeves, styled with those burgundy Mary-Janes in polished leather, is the quintessence of Paris to me. The same as the boys’ leather jumpsuit or one of those preppy floral shirts. I just can’t stop looking at this collection, even though it’s not ground-breaking or ‘disruptive’. It’s pure A.P.C., and we all want to be part of it.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s / Strip Everything Back. JW Anderson SS18

June 16, 2017June 18, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Looking back at J.W. Anderson‘s memorable man-skirts or heavy boots covered with studs and flowers, you would never believe that the designer might suddenly do something so… simple. “No-fuss fashion basic-ness. Trying to strip everything back.” This is how Jonathan Anderson summed up his spring-summer 2018 collection presented at Florentine gardens of the Villa La Pietra (as a special guest of the season’s Pitti Uomo). And then he added, “I think this is the first season I’ve tried everything on myself. It was like going back into yourself.” Even the jeans are cut in the way he really likes it. And I like this type of cut, too – slightly baggy, cropped. Also, who doesn’t love a pair of off-duty Converse? Anderson collaborated with the sneakers brand for the upcoming season. Multicoloured heart patches bring on the hippie mood of carefree, summer nights. Chunky knits and tattered-looking jackets will be the perfect choice for a breezy beach day. Sometimes it’s worth going chinos and loose t-shirts, to just settle down and chill.