Social Impact Through Collaboration
For SS17 we went back to school, or rather St Martins (where we both studied) to use the library. Scouring through archive Vogues from the 1930’s and 40’s, we were inspired by peplums, nipped in waists and netted veils. We Combined these with the abstract fluidity of shape and surrealist style of viola arpa by Thomas Vach, (an Amoeba Shaped Violin kept in the Danish Music Museum, Copenhagen), Vincent Darre’s intriguing interiors at l hôtel Montana and Salvador Dali’s Female Nude 1928, as the starting point for the collection.
Print, a key element of our work is beautifully executed with hand drawings of intriguingly coloured / textured sea slugs and observations of exotic flowers from a fun day out at Kew Gardens (All our fabrics are printed in England). We personally pattern cut and draped each piece in our London studio, to fully explore and develop the vision for our new label.
Here are 5 key elements for SS17:
Distorted shapes inspired by the intriguing forms in our research are a key component of the collection. Executed in net, crepe and a
brilliant cotton waffle fabric woven in Italy. From overlaid distorted and abstracted tops, appliquéd panels, to fully jigsaw draped dresses.
We followed on with distorted crepe pieces that we then draped and overlaid on contemporary double faced neoprene and denim
dresses.
For a modern take on the traditional suit we have teamed a sleeveless belted coat with a pair of wide shorts to give a more
contemporary youthful feel.
The playful texture and shine are not only in the sequin pieces with their echoes of the distorted shapes from the collection, but also in
our hand beaded pieces that follow through to the embellished net, back to front hood.
With our denim offering we have overlaid navy net with gold top stitch details, evoking a sense of the traditional jean, carried through the collection in overlays on denim skirts, trousers and a denim trench with distorted wind breaker and belt.
Our more affordable jersey offering takes the sophisticated and yet playful print, seen in our silk pieces and brings it through with the
illustrations of the sea slugs and flowers integrated on to T-shirts and sweatshirts from individual drawings worked in to with beading and
embroidery in a modern way, through to an A-Z of letters created by combining the individual illustrations.
Our jewellery:
The demi-couture jewellery, hand crafted by us in our London studio; combines floral prints on silk ties, flower clusters and Swarovski crystal, juxtaposed with hand worked aluminium wire for a more industrial feel. The statement pieces are fastened with small gold paracord buckles and finished off with a Longshaw Ward branded gold plated square, to give an industrial yet luxe feel.