Holland & Holland

July 25, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

In modern-day times, nearly everything is done with the use of high technology. Sadly, this results in low quality products that aren’t as durable and long-lasting as they used to be in the past. That’s why, brands which thrive to preserve tradition and keep it in harmony with contemporary win my heart. Meet Holland & Holland, a British house found in 1835 with a historical speciality for outdoor apparel, guns and ready-to-get-dirty accessories for the woods. Today, the brand is re-invented by two, fantastic women, Stella Tennant and Isabella Cawdor. The first is a top-model, who regularly closes Chanel shows and stars in high-fashion campaigns; the second worked as a Vogue fashion editor. You can easily say that the duo breathes with fashion; but instead of resting on laurels, they decided to challenge themselves in the role of creative directors for a not-so-glossy brand.

What can you expect from Tennant’s and Cawdor’s take on a heritage brand which values top-notch quality and functionality for the outdoor activities? The menswear codes of Holland & Holland are reflected in masculine silhouettes and the emphasis on classical tweed, however the designers eagerly introduce feminine softness to women’s pieces. Understanding the country life (Stella and Isabella live in Scottish highlands, and they are surrounded by moors since being kids), the newest collection is a versatile wardrobe of knitted goods, shirts, outerwear, tailoring and accessories which can be worn simultaneosly for family hunting, and to the city. Also, Holland & Holland’s refreshed vision considers British, off-kilter style, and a mandatory weather practicality – a must for every Brit. “We’re making quality clothes to deal with the weather and to look good in. It’s very simple,” Tennant says. If talking of spending a chilly day in the forest, layering and camouflage-effect are the key according to Stella – the colours are inspired by the warm colour palette of green landscape. ‘Most of these clothes camouflage brilliantly. What pops out in an urban setting is the houndstooth tweed,’ Cawdor adds. ‘But in the landscape you can’t see it. For hill and moorland, tweed is camouflage.’ Below, see how Tennant wears these beautiful midi-skirts and fox fur collars in the background of Scottish nature.

Holland & Holland, under the wings of Tennant and Cawdor, isn’t only about durable gear for urban and rural life, but “it’s the little details that make things good or not“. The model praises local artisans and fabrics. “For example we have done very classic V-necks, round necks and polo necks, but we spent a lot of time getting the right weight of cashmere, the right density of the knit. The kind of water the wool is washed in affects the yarn (all of the yarns come from mills in Hawick on the banks of the River Teviot). The Italians like a much fluffier knit, but traditionally in Scotland it’s a dryer, cleaner finish. That’s what we like.’ Indeed, the feeling of these hearty clothes is much more rawer – without any additional embroideries, embellishment or catchy prints. It’s just as it is, pure and modern-aristocratic.

More on Holland & Holland website

Résumé. Balenciaga Pre-Fall’16

May 24, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Balenciaga is another label which postpones its pre-collection release, taking Céline‘s and The Row‘s path. Moreover, there’s another reason why this pre-fall 2016 collection is a major highlight for the house. In fact, it was designed between the abrupt period of Alexander Wang’s departure from the maison, and styled during the first days of Demna Gvasalia‘s appearance. The press release informs that the collection wasn’t fully supervised by Demna, so the autumn-winter 2016 can be called his official debut – however, there are distinct twists coming from Balenciaga’s design studio, which will be surely approved by all Vetements fans. From over-sized hoodies to floral dresses, some of the looks could be easily understood as even pricier pieces coming straight from Vetements’ showroom. The next, much more sophisticated, all-black looks worn by Stella Tennant and Julia Nobis aren’t that simple, though, focusing on Cristobal Balenciaga’s famous body-sculpture play. The collection quietly nods to Nicolas Ghesquiere’s era, with this must-have aviator jacket with a shearling collar. Not surprisingly, Alexander Wang’s three-or-so year-long “legacy” is erased utterly, and hopefully, it will never come back.

The idea of photographing the models in a Balenciaga archive warehouse is brilliant, and it shapes an image of a brand, which wisely balances the past and the future. The very commercial, fur stoles with huge BALENCIAGA written all over them will sell immediately, I guess, just like Gvasalia’s vision for the house. Not that this collection is a masterpiece. But still, it builds strong foundation for Demna, makes a résumé of the past, and eventually, might become the season’s best-seller.

Collage by me

Cuba. Chanel Resort 2017

May 5, 2016May 23, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

On Monday, Karl Lagerfeld took his cool ladies, like Tilda Swinton and Carine Roitfeld, to Cuba, and not to the fussy MET Gala filled with cheesy Balmain-gowns and Kim K klan. In fact, everybody thought that Manus x Machina event in New York, and its “galore”, would dim Chanel – but all eyes were on swirling, organza skirts and Stella Tennant’s chic show opening. Dressed in a classy Cubanos smoking, with over-sized collars and pantalons, the monochrome colour palette dynamically evolved into peach-pink and lemon-yellow silhouettes. Floaty dresses, 50s car prints on t-shirts and functional flip-flops – joy and easiness was perceivable along Paseo del Prado, scented with male models’ cigars which were smoked nonchalantly during their walk. Debutante dresses were all about the embroidered, slightly tattered sleeves, showing an homage to Hispanic ruffles which are so popular on the colourful streets of Havana. Even the show venue, a public street, didn’t feel like previous, slightly pretentious resort shows by Chanel – Ibeyi, French-Cuban twin-sisters, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Díaz performed a soulful, temperamental song just at the beginning of the show. By the end, models, guests, Cuban passersby and the designer himself, danced… and it all looked like a cheerful parade of wearble fashion and Latin attitude.

Of course, these clothes will cost their average, Chanel prices – but still, Karl and his team managed to pull it off in a casual way. Showing a Chanel collection on the streets of a communist country might be risky, and in effect look too distant and Euro-posh. But to my surprise, the collection was a laid-back line of carefree styling, without much of pressure on Cuba’s culture and references. Focusing on a diverse casting (big plus for the brand) and relaxed leisurewear, Lagerfeld has effortlessly started the Resort 2017 season – with grace, and in Cuban rythm.

Collage by me

Woman in Journey. Prada AW16

February 27, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

“They were dressed, for an adventure – rather than waiting, forlorn, for a long-lost love to return from a voyage, they were the ones doing the travelling” said Miuccia Prada before her autumn-winter 2016 show, when describing her Prada woman. During the January’s menswear show, it was already clear – the designer addresses her fashion towards the global problem of Meditterean sea migrants, wars and chaos, which touches a majority of the industry’s aspects. To a big extend, you could have foreseen what the main collection will look like after the pre-fall, which was staged during the collection for boys – navy hats and Christopher Chemin’s artworks, named after the French revolutionary calendar, were presented as shirt and skirt prints.

The collection, according to Prada’s show-notes, was dedicated to all women who lived throughout the history – from revolutionary ones, like Rosa Luxemburg, to glamorous icons, like Marilyn Monroe – but it also celebrated the everyday women. Backstage, Prada declared that women simply have more life aspects to deal with than men. After all, they have to be “mothers, lovers, workers, daughters and sisters” – and at the top of that, they are supposed to be beautiful. Beauty was undermined by Miuccia, too, by breaking down the beauty cannons in style – from checked socks, which are often called as asexual by many, to corset belts which unleashed a bit of elusive sex-appeal, but from the other side, touched theturbulent topic of women’s constraint of being always on fleek, on point and flawless. And these useless, decorative charms and mini-diaries worn on necklaces – maybe they symbolically meant the secrets women keep?

PJ Harvey was the backing track of the show, keeping it all even more melancholic and reflective. This collection was a philosophical statement emerging from Miuccia’s head – and the quilted, tweed and artfully embroidered clothes speak the language of women like no other.

STELLA TENNANT.

Sasha Pivovarova. Oh yes.

HC: Rich Girl. Atelier Versace AW14

July 8, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

“Check it out, take it in, cuz that b*****? She’s so thin, she’s so rich, and so blonde, she’s so fab, it’s beyond.” And it’s Donatella Versace. The blond icon of fashion, who did the most sleekest collection of all for Versace’s Atelier this season. The Haute Couture week started in a steamy way, having Versace first on fire. The show was opened by Maria Carla Boscono, wearing a sexy, cut-out jacket and sleek black skirt. Then, again, the sleek blue top with a cut out skirt. So sexy. Voluminous gowns, killer heels and fringed skirts phreshed off the runway in purple / blue colours, but only Stella Tennant could be a perfect cherry on the top, in that meringue like gown… uph.