Woman

Tuinch

| Design & Culture by Ed

Every so often a label appears out of nowhere that piques my interest. This happened with Tuinch, a brand I’ve discovered while browsing Moda Operandi’s trunkshows last season. I fell in love with it at the first sight – and you will, too. Founder Veronique Vermussche is a passionate knitter, spending much of her free time creating elaborate sweaters and other garments. She combines this passion with her other ones: fashion and travel. The story of Tuinch started quite by coincidence. Traveling home from a vacation in the Himalayas, Veronique’s flight got delayed and she found warmth and comfort wrapping herself in a cashmere scarf bought from a local artisan. This way Veronique fell in love with cashmere, the beloved material that feels likes silk, but warms like lamb wool. The idea grew to develop a cashmere-only knitwear line. Back home she started working on her first collection, autumn-winter 2016, and travelled back extensively to the Himalayas to understand all aspects of the Asian cashmere tradition and to source the finest wool and discover the best artisans. Tuinch’s collections combine an artistic vision with elegant silhouettes. They are truly innovative by revisiting cashmere in not so classic designs we often see in stores and from other brands. The Antwerp-based label is about to release two new capsule collections for autumn-winter season. One is more bold and playful, with an energetic colour palette and knitted, three-dimensional bees (!) stuck on the sleeves. The other capsule is equally artisan, but more suited for, let’s say, beautiful mountain trips or escapes to the country. Those earthy shades used in oversized cardigans, ponchos and turtlenecks look too good. Not speaking of all the timeless, tartan plaids… I tell you, keep Tuinch on your radar when colder days come. Here are the knits that will serve for years!

Discover the brand here.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

True To Azzedine. Alaïa AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Thanks god the maison of Alaïa has no plans to find an outside designer or change anything about the brand. The spirit of Azzedine Alaïa is in every single piece from the autumn-winter 2019 lookbook. Like the previous season, the offering encompasses three ranges: a collection of new pieces that feel close to the master’s vision and aesthetic, the Édition archive capsule (this season it’s all about the butterfly print from autumn-winter 1991 collection), and Éditions Limitées, which is positioned as demi-couture and available only by appointment. Karim Sadli is behind the camera, while the styling is Joe McKenna’s job (two individuals, who worked with Azzedine on his collections’ image). From impeccable tailoring to gorgeous, gorgeus eveningwear, the collection is consistent and completely true to the founder’s vocabulary. Those who know what’s an Alaïa dress like will definitely stay with the brand – forever.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Grown Up Glam Rock. Hillier Bartley AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

What can you expect from Hillier Bartley for autumn-winter 2019? Stunning tailoring that’s Savile Row quality, but with a twist (think double-breasted houndstooth suit punked up with a zipper across the waist and matching pants in origami pleat). A smart clash of fashion references, from Kansai Yamamoto (look at the prints inspired with his work) to the bold New Romantics’ movement from 70s London. And brilliant eveningwear that spans from a gorgeous line-up of tailoring to a V-neck maxi-lenght gown in red (worn over a purple turtleneck – love this colour palette). Luella Bartley and Katie Hillier keep the vision of their brand consistent, yet at the same exciting. While Luella works closely with the clothes, Katie does the accessories. Look at the trapeze-shaped “cassette” bags – they look elegant, but sharp, grown-up, but glam. Just like the collection itself.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.