A new GBP30,000 (US$37,700) initiative to help tackle the skill shortage in the UK’s fashion industry has been launched in West Yorkshire, the region identified as the most condensed area for textile manufacturing in the UK.
Samuel Drira’s multifunctional approach to dressing was less literal for pre-fall, focusing more on structure. His pared-back, contemporary interpretation of military themes was worked in an earthy palette of greens, browns, orange and beige and in a contrast between rounded, cocoon-like forms and sharper lines.
Egg-shaped coats in boiled wool ballooned out at the elbows, mirroring their overall silhouette, while zip features opened up the side of tailored wool jackets, offering practical and aesthetic opportunities. Rivets and elastic loops reminiscent of parachute gear and outsized flap pockets contrasted with the softness of certain designs. A khaki wool skirt cut to look like an Army coat from behind flapped over the front as the model walked, adding interest to an otherwise utilitarian shape.
Knitwear went along with the theme, as in a long khaki column dress with a ribbed panel that could be worn loose and draped or zipped around the waist like a cozy corset alternative.
Drira introduced his singular vision to eveningwear, inspired by the idea of offering Tilda Swinton — whom he said has become a fan of the understated label — something to wear on the red carpet. One example was a versatile black crêpe column gown with snap fasteners across the back
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.Read More…
Ingie Chalhoub strolled the footpaths of a winter garden for pre-fall, taking her inspiration from seasonal flora and working it into her motifs and color scheme. A beautiful Art Nouveau-style jacquard, with its black background and motifs in celadon green, coral pink, blue and gold, brought the collection together, and was worked in a range of shapes including a tailored coat and pants and a strapless cocktail dress.
The kaftan, an Ingie Paris signature, was reinterpreted in celadon or coral silk crêpe as a palazzo pant and flowing jacket combo with slit sleeve and a pearl button, a recurring feature punctuating the collection as a whole, and paired with a matching turban for a Seventies boudoir feel.
Chalhoub upped the glitz in several sequined items for evening — particularly appealing in deep forest green — and added glitter with two-tone Lurex metallic threads on chiffon blouses, dresses and long skirts, in an exclusive knit in burgundy, black and white with a tweed effect worked into a long cardigan coat with a fluid collar.
More minimal crêpe pieces completed the ensemble in a palette of burgundy and deep green, as in a simple yet elegant caped shift dress with a subtle ruffle on the shoulder.
For
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.Read More…
Creative director Rodolfo Paglialunga is closing his adventure at Jil Sander on a chic note. The designer, who will be succeeded by Lucie and Luke Maier after the women’s runway show next month, delivered an elegant, pretty pre-fall collection. Rooted in the brand’s signature minimalist approach, he filled the lineup with staples that showed both a unisex attitude and an extremely feminine, yet discreet and intellectual femininity. Cashmere coats, also shown with mohair touches, were cut in clean silhouettes, cotton shirts were designed as maxi Ts embellished with macro pockets, while pants, crafted from Japanese fabrics with a paper-like hand, featured wide legs. Paglialunga used leather for a super-soft trench coat, while a shearling jacket had an oversized fit. Silk dresses injected with an effortless sophistication revealed drapes that created functional pockets; knitted frocks were fluid and relaxed, and a dress cinched at the waist with a coordinated belt was made of a technical fabric with metallic gold coating for a touch of eccentricity. Everything conveyed a sense of comfort combined with an essential design and luxurious materials.
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.Read More…
Downsizing doesn’t mean downgrading. For pre-fall, Goga Ashkenazi delivered a concise collection that looked more cohesive than past efforts. She picked up signature elements of Madame Madeleine Vionnet’s original style and blended them into a fresh and modern wardrobe. An evening gown with ribbons wrapping around the waist, as well as plissé details that lent a 3-D effect to the elegant styles, were beautiful. Likewise the velvet robe coats and handkerchief dresses infused with a loungewear feel.
Denim, which first appeared on the brand’s catwalk last September, was crafted for a draped daydress and a bias-cut fringed skirt — the names of their technical elements, like “fringe” or “bias cut,” were embroidered or flocked on the pieces for a smart, ironic effect. A pop touch was introduced via multicolor polka-dots — inspired by aerial pictures of ski slopes taken from chairlifts — which were embroidered on tulle, lace and mesh tops and minidresses with a girly feel. This collection marked a good step in the brand’s maturation process. Vionnet in February will return to show in Milan after seasons in Paris.
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.Read More…
A slight Seventies’ inspiration ran through the Mantù collection, which offered a well-executed lineup of women’s staples with a contemporary twist. Rigorous, clean silhouettes — including a bouclé coat, cinched at the waist with a velvet belt, and a flared duffle coat worn over a turtleneck — contrasted with a flamboyant trench trimmed with maxi ruffles. Streetwear references emerged on a bomber jacket enriched by a rose gold metal zip, while cropped denim pants matched with a sweater and a shirt for a tomboy look — and it all contrasted with the Bohemian-chic attitude of a pretty black maxidress with contrasting colored stripes.
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.Read More…
Emerging Italian streetwear label GCDS has tapped singer and influencer Caroline Vreeland to appear in its spring advertising campaign. Photographed by Jason Lee Parry, the strong, provocative images portray Vreeland and model Adonis Bosso as a couple spending their honeymoon in a Los Angeles hotel, whose decor includes neon lights and retro phones. Something goes wrong as suggested by a picture showing Vreeland crying in a vintage pink car or sitting alone on a bed with her back to the viewer.
GCDS’s spring ad campaign
The pictures’ pop atmosphere is enhanced by the colorful clothes, including multicolor tops and bombers featuring floral prints, stripes and see-though details. Maxi logos inspired by the Nineties, such as the ironic “J’adore GCDS,” appear on several pieces, as well as on the bold silver accessories.
Caroline Vreeland in GCDS SS17 Ad Campaign.
Courtesy Photo
The advertising campaign includes a video, realized by the brand’s creative director Giuliano Calza, featuring Darlene Love’s “Today I Met the Boy I’m Gonna Marry” as its soundtrack. The video will be available at vimeo.com and at GCDS social accounts starting from Friday.
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
Turkish denim manufacturer Isko has become the first denim mill in the world to receive the EU Ecolabel certification for its Isko Earth Fit platform dedicated to sustainability.
EU Ecolabel is the official environmental label in the European Union, and is based on a commitment to environmental sustainability. Last year, Isko was awarded the Nordic Swan Ecolabel certification for its responsibly innovative approach.
The Isko EU Ecolabel products will be launched in May as part of the new collection.
Made with eco-friendly raw materials like organic cotton, Better Cotton, preconsumer recycled cotton and postconsumer recycled polyester from PET bottles, Isko Earth Fit offers responsibly innovated denim fabrics in a variety of shades.
“Being conscientious comes from research, attention, deep commitment and pointed awareness about what is happening to our planet,” said Fatih Konukoglu, chief executive officer of Isko and a board member of the parent Sanko Group. “Here in Isko, to produce means to care — care about people, environment, products. This firm’s belief is the heart of our nurturing approach. We believe in the future. That’s why we continue to invest in protecting our planet.”
Anita Winsnes, managing director and chief executive officer of Nordic Swan Ecolabel, said, “It’s great that the world’s biggest denim manufacturer shows
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
MAD DASH: Grana’s not tiptoeing, but sprinting into the new year with brick-and-mortar growth, a Tmall shop concept and a recently hired executive for the U.S. market.
The company recently tapped Ariella Werner-Seidler as U.S. experience director, where she’ll be charged with handling leasing and merchandising of the company’s physical spaces. She’s overseeing the rollout of the company’s New York pop-up — possibly in SoHo — that’s scheduled for an April opening.
The company in the second quarter has plans to open on Alibaba Group’s Tmall shopping platform. There are also plans for a physical pop-up showroom in Shanghai, slated for the second quarter. Grana remains tight-lipped on any other details about those plans.
The company’s dabbling in brick-and-mortar will not be akin to traditional retail and instead uses a showroom concept that allows visitors to try product on and place orders, with merchandise then shipped to the store or a customer’s home.
“We see [brick-and-mortar] as a really important short- to medium-term brand-building exercise to reach more people….For us, it’s not a core sales generator. It’s really just a supplementary way to acquire customers,” cofounder and chief executive officer Luke Grana told WWD in December.
The company this month began taking preorders for its
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
The Verdura and Belperron company is set to return to the Netherlands for the TEFAF Maastricht fair.
The brands made their joint debut at the event last year. This year’s fair will occur from March 10 to 19.
New and vintage jewelry will be displayed, this time focused on the Thirties and Forties eras. Verdura’s lots will particularly home in on the “Out of this World” collection, which focuses on an expanded range of designs created in collaboration with Salvador Dalí.
“This collaboration explored themes of love, loss and faith amidst the atrocity and devastation of World War II,” the company said.
Said Verdura and Belperron president Nico Landrigan: “[The fair] is like walking through a museum for sale and to get to participate in that show is a great honor. It is not just the fair, but who goes to the fair is jaw-dropping — to see who is there. They are not there to see-and-be-seen like some social events. They are there because they don’t want to miss great treasures that have just been discovered or made, they are connoisseurs. It really attracts the great collectors of the world.”
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…