No21 RE16 in Paris

July 8, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Being the buyer for Concept 21 Store in Poznan, Poland, it is always great to visit showrooms! This time, the main aim of my trip to Paris was the re-see of No21‘ s Resort 2016 collection.This time, Alessandro Dell’Acqua fused many themes at a time – the marine chic which involved stripes; ethnic prints and oriental textiles (look at the canvas shoes and the african mask print on cardigans!). All of that brought on the idea of perfect “tropical escape” wardrobe. The midi skirt with a sexy cut looked truly gorgeous with that over-sized chunky sweater while the warm colour of curcuma gave a laid-back mood. In overall, Dell’Acqua is known for his talent of mixing feminine silhouttes with masculine forms – the sailor jacket is the must-have of the collection, combined with one of these crispe checked skirts. This collection is an essential highlight of Alessandro’s fashion career becuase it smartly shows No21’s signatures in a very refreshing order. And the Parisian location for the brand’s showroom has one of the best views I have ever seen. Just like the wonderful, marble corridor.

Men’s – The Boys. No21 SS16

June 22, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

“I took a big risk, breaking the mold I have created myself,” Alessandro Dell’Acqua of No21 said. “It was time, I think. Freedom was high on my agenda. I’d like to convey a clear message of fashion as an amusing expression of personality. We can do that in Milano, too.” Indeed, the new collection for men was totally different than all the others up to date. Totally new silhouettes – shorts which reminded skirts; over-sized knitwears (which, basically, land on my wish-list); great varsity jackets and elegant peacoats. The textures here became more tactile and softer. And the ultra-long t-shirts and tank-tops gave us a chilled out vibe, just like the boots, which had their laces tied in a messy way.

In reality, every piece of this collection is totally wearable – I already see a lot of outfits that would personally match my wardrobe. Also, through this collection, Alessanro proved again, that he is a styling genius. You can simply take notes for your next summer look, guys!

Blush Beauty. No21 AW15

February 27, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Alessandro Dell’Acqua is called the modern-day Italian fashion genius. And I totally approve that statement. This guy knows, how to mix contemporary with opulent – a tweed pencil skirt worn with gold-patent jacket; olive green hoodie styled with hand-embroidered dress – those are just few examples of how Alessandro rolls in fashion. For AW15, the designer of No21 brought a lot of blush pink into the collection, which felt super lovely. The two snow-white looks were excellent, too – the embroidered flower appliqued coat is dreamy… and the tune of “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie perfectly fit the entire scene. Romantic, but with a sharp masculine contrast.