A couple of weeks ago I was invited to brunch at Residence with Kilkenny to view their AW17 collections. As I love brunch and have fond childhood memories of Kilkenny, I was pretty excited. When I realised I was sitting with editors from some of my favourite Irish magazines and a blogger I had interacted with before but had never met IRL, I was even more excited. Our table was completed with one of the brand's buyers who explained all about their choices and ideas during the show, which was excellent, giving us a really insight into where Kilkenny is going.
Kilkenny is known for their occasionwear and has been a stalwart provider of outfits for stylish Irish women in a slightly older age bracket. Moving forward, they are aiming to keep these loyal, and discerning, customers happy, while also targeting a younger audience and more day-to-day needs. Two new casual brands Beaumont and 10 Feet (available in Galway and Swords only) have been introduced and while Kilkenny showed picks from Fossil and Guess, they reaffirmed their constant commitment to Irish design with pieces from the likes of Fee G and Caroline Kilkenny.
When it comes to the actual look that Kilkenny are all about this season, there's good news: it;s cute and cosy. Seventies florals and bold colours from hot pink to bottle green to maroon abounded and layering with stylish jackets, casually tossed scarves and light knits was key. For special events, there was a nice sprinkle of some structured, interesting alternatives to the standard dresses that were also shown, such as the maroon belted jumpsuit that everyone was swooning over. With pieces to appeal to all sorts of age groups, styles and lifestyles, there really is something for everyone now. Would I have liked some slightly bolder and more surprising aesthetic choices thrown in there? Sure. But, for now, Kilkenny is striding into the future in a way that I can totally get behind.
Showing posts with label press day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label press day. Show all posts
Monday, 28 August 2017
Thursday, 18 August 2016
Heatons AW16
I had kind of wondered what had happened to Heatons. They fell off the press radar for a while there and stopped having shows at the start of the new season for over a year. And then I got an invite to the AW16 showcase from a brand new PR company and with a very different vibe. I guess the company saw the way that Dunnes had rebranded, grown and evolved into something more relevant and on the pulse of things and decided to do the same because everything about the new season is more luxe than ever before.
Heatons have been doing beautiful, affordable homeware for years now and while the clothing collections had cute highlights, the overall vibe was a little dowdy and not so fashion forward. With AW16, they've clearly sought to change that and they've done a damn good job. The overall aesthetic remains a little understated in a way that embraces the older, existing clientele but sprinkles the collection with on-trend statement pieces, pretty party dresses and edgier garments to create something a little more diverse and interesting.
A boho theme runs vaguely throughout much of the collection through pretty details like embroidery, tassels and fringing but the rich palette of burnt oranges, taupes, beiges and browns makes things wearable, Autumn appropriate and a little less costumey than some iterations that we've been seeing on the highstreet. Similarly, 60s tailoring and outerwear and 70s silhouettes and fabric choices are prevalent, as key trends next season, but are adapted in a wearable, non-alienating way that makes the garments easy to integrate into existing wardrobes. Another strand running through the collection is more youthful and streetwear inspired - with pieces like a very solid bomber in two shades and a sporty striped sweaterdress - and, again, while these are very on-trend, they are also perfectly suited to be adopted into the wardrobes of many different individuals.
Heatons have done a really good job with this season in creating something very on the button but also very luxe-feeling and user-friendly that will please new audiences while still embracing loyal customers. It is a savvy, clever, elegant collection and I already have my eye on personal highlights such as the bomber, cape, grey belted coat and the pyjama sets, which are so cute that I would totally adopt them as daytime blouses.
Heatons have been doing beautiful, affordable homeware for years now and while the clothing collections had cute highlights, the overall vibe was a little dowdy and not so fashion forward. With AW16, they've clearly sought to change that and they've done a damn good job. The overall aesthetic remains a little understated in a way that embraces the older, existing clientele but sprinkles the collection with on-trend statement pieces, pretty party dresses and edgier garments to create something a little more diverse and interesting.
A boho theme runs vaguely throughout much of the collection through pretty details like embroidery, tassels and fringing but the rich palette of burnt oranges, taupes, beiges and browns makes things wearable, Autumn appropriate and a little less costumey than some iterations that we've been seeing on the highstreet. Similarly, 60s tailoring and outerwear and 70s silhouettes and fabric choices are prevalent, as key trends next season, but are adapted in a wearable, non-alienating way that makes the garments easy to integrate into existing wardrobes. Another strand running through the collection is more youthful and streetwear inspired - with pieces like a very solid bomber in two shades and a sporty striped sweaterdress - and, again, while these are very on-trend, they are also perfectly suited to be adopted into the wardrobes of many different individuals.
Heatons have done a really good job with this season in creating something very on the button but also very luxe-feeling and user-friendly that will please new audiences while still embracing loyal customers. It is a savvy, clever, elegant collection and I already have my eye on personal highlights such as the bomber, cape, grey belted coat and the pyjama sets, which are so cute that I would totally adopt them as daytime blouses.
Saturday, 9 April 2016
COS AW16
I spent my lunch on Tuesday hanging out with the wonderful teams from COS and Baluba for the COS AW16 press day. Not only was the setting gorgeous (a dream home on Camden Street over three floors with big windows, a large terrace and perfect kitchen, which had just been renovated) and the food from Cocu Kitchen nutritious and delicious, the collection was one of the best I've seen from them in a while.
This isn't a collection that immediately wows but, rather, is slow-burning, leaving a deeper and longer lasting impression. The rich shades - navy, intense blue, ochre, burgundy, forest green - though common for AW are deeper incarnations that remind of the colours espoused in the Victorian era and perfectly evoke one of the two main trends that run throughout; Everyday Decadence and Rethought Functionality.
Everyday Decadence is expressed through classic forms, which are reworked and reimagined, - a white shirt with many guises, an a-symmetric blazer, half-draped - which combine textures and fabrics for a richer result - unexpected, happy collisions of silk bonded with wool, sheer panels and crisp pleated tailoring - and which sport exaggerated silhouettes - high turtlenecks, extra-long sleeves, a-symmetry, volume, oversizing. Rethought Functionality sees straps, seatbelts and zips reappropriated and used to make it possible to wear garments in multiple ways; layering; durable pieces and, yet, with a slick overall look.
For menswear, there are decadent and layered looks that combine utilitarian and sporty elements; rich colour, textures and prints and updated and pared back classic tailoring. The rich tones of the womenswear are carried over but you also get oatmeal shades and lilacs - softer, prettier notes.
The two wardrobes are mixed and blurred; masculine tailoring is made sensual for womenswear while menswear is made sensuous and given slightly more feminine notes.
Throughout, there are plenty of durable and investment pieces; suits, coats, blazers etc. - cool twists on items that will never be outdated and which are built to last.
In fact, the idea of lasting and sustainability is and underlining theme. Recycled elements are used (such as the seatbelts), garments are made to withstand the years, right down to the press information, which is no longer printed and all put on a USB stick instead.
Personal favourites from the day have to be the accessories, - mittens that look like mini parkas for your hands, detached turtleneck chokers - the silk and wool co-ord with sheer panels, the trouser jumpsuit that looks like a pair of men's trouser extending from chest to toe, the draped forest green suit and the menswear Donegal Tweed coat.
If you're looking for some clothes for life that majorly pay their way or pieces that are elegant without shouting about it, COS AW16 has got you covered.
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This isn't a collection that immediately wows but, rather, is slow-burning, leaving a deeper and longer lasting impression. The rich shades - navy, intense blue, ochre, burgundy, forest green - though common for AW are deeper incarnations that remind of the colours espoused in the Victorian era and perfectly evoke one of the two main trends that run throughout; Everyday Decadence and Rethought Functionality.
Everyday Decadence is expressed through classic forms, which are reworked and reimagined, - a white shirt with many guises, an a-symmetric blazer, half-draped - which combine textures and fabrics for a richer result - unexpected, happy collisions of silk bonded with wool, sheer panels and crisp pleated tailoring - and which sport exaggerated silhouettes - high turtlenecks, extra-long sleeves, a-symmetry, volume, oversizing. Rethought Functionality sees straps, seatbelts and zips reappropriated and used to make it possible to wear garments in multiple ways; layering; durable pieces and, yet, with a slick overall look.
For menswear, there are decadent and layered looks that combine utilitarian and sporty elements; rich colour, textures and prints and updated and pared back classic tailoring. The rich tones of the womenswear are carried over but you also get oatmeal shades and lilacs - softer, prettier notes.
The two wardrobes are mixed and blurred; masculine tailoring is made sensual for womenswear while menswear is made sensuous and given slightly more feminine notes.
Throughout, there are plenty of durable and investment pieces; suits, coats, blazers etc. - cool twists on items that will never be outdated and which are built to last.
In fact, the idea of lasting and sustainability is and underlining theme. Recycled elements are used (such as the seatbelts), garments are made to withstand the years, right down to the press information, which is no longer printed and all put on a USB stick instead.
Personal favourites from the day have to be the accessories, - mittens that look like mini parkas for your hands, detached turtleneck chokers - the silk and wool co-ord with sheer panels, the trouser jumpsuit that looks like a pair of men's trouser extending from chest to toe, the draped forest green suit and the menswear Donegal Tweed coat.
If you're looking for some clothes for life that majorly pay their way or pieces that are elegant without shouting about it, COS AW16 has got you covered.
(All images my own except the lookbook images which are used courtesy of COS)
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Tuesday, 17 November 2015
COS SS16
COS' press days are my absolute favourite each season - I can't wait for them to come around. And, each season, I walk away with an idealised wishlist of garments that's never going to come to pass. Not least of all because the pieces showcased often encapsulate the feeling of the collection but are a little too avant-garde to make it into many stores in their ultimate form. Instead, we're normally given more readily palatable versions.
However, if there were ever a collection where the feeling and sensibility was the key component of the garments, it's COS SS16. Upon first glance, the words diaphanous and pure immediately come to mind. As per, there's a lot of thought going on and a wide array of sources and inspiration but that doesn't necessarily read in the garments. Instead, you are overwhelmed by that aura of purity and the background noise of reference and witty interplay remains firmly in the background.
The white, blush and sand and stone tones, the textures, silhouettes and lengths display an obvious awareness of traditional Japanese clothing and 20th century Japanese art movements. Renate Aller's photographs of sand dunes and the hand-drawn lines of Jan Schoonhoven's minimalism are both quoted inspirations. Origami techniques, authentic welding using 20th century machinery, man-made and natural fabrics and painstaking detail are all employed in the collection and, yet, calm perseveres.
Calm is the underlying theme of the collection - or, rather, reinterpreting calm. There is a lot going on but it is all quiet interventions, expert tweaking of the familiar to create something that is a balance of both contemporary and classic.
Three themes run through: drapes and folds, craftsmanship and re-inventing. And through these themes we see seemingly simple garments with a lot more going on than what meets the eye, garments that focus on the process of making and which are involved in an inseparable dialogue with the human form.
Draping, folds, cut-outs, low backs and thin, wispy materials all play at hiding and revealing the body and the contrast with the textures of the fabrics and subtle flashes of flesh makes for highly sensuous clothes in the most literal of ways: the senses themselves are engaged, sight in the glimpses, sound in the swishes and touch in the textures. These are clothes made for bodies, for the interaction with human forms to make them truly come alive.
This is also true of the menswear where the palate and sensibility is a little more weighty, in tones of grey and in fabrics that are more solid and less floaty. However, this same sense of playing with the senses, playing with the form is still ever-present. As is craftsmanship. A crisp driving coat is made of a jacquard which is not merely an embellishment but embossed right into the fabric, weighing it down so that it skims forms, interacts more closely with them instead of hanging away. Another coat in a transparent grey, again, plays with the body in the revealing of flashes of flesh normally hidden away in such garments and is welded together using 1950s machinery in England. The devil is in the details, each piece tells a story, is more than itself. Gendering of garments and cuts also comes into question as necklines such as deep boat necks come into play, revealing areas we are used to seeing on women - the collar-bone and shoulders - but which are somewhat surprising and alluring given the unfamiliar context.
Reinvention runs throughout the collections but is, perhaps most obvious in the denim. Not only is it being presented as a plausible formalwear option and being given new silhouettes and contexts, it is also being physically reimagined. One of the most striking displays were the accessories that, as first seemed just very COS, restrained and pretty, but were actually man-made compressed recycled denim embossed stones in silver settings...Kinda mind-boggling, right?
COS SS16 may be their most editorial collection yet. As I said, what is key is the sensibility and the concepts at play, more than the clothes themselves - the debates, the discussions and questions that they encourage. But before the collection can float away entirely as something that is too conceptual and all idea and no substance, it is weighed down by dresses, shirts, suiting and knitwear that (much of) will fit immediately into wardrobes and an emphasis on making and craftsmanship that almost puts some couture to shame.
(In the Kerlin Art Gallery with food by Black Sheep Foods)
*
However, if there were ever a collection where the feeling and sensibility was the key component of the garments, it's COS SS16. Upon first glance, the words diaphanous and pure immediately come to mind. As per, there's a lot of thought going on and a wide array of sources and inspiration but that doesn't necessarily read in the garments. Instead, you are overwhelmed by that aura of purity and the background noise of reference and witty interplay remains firmly in the background.
The white, blush and sand and stone tones, the textures, silhouettes and lengths display an obvious awareness of traditional Japanese clothing and 20th century Japanese art movements. Renate Aller's photographs of sand dunes and the hand-drawn lines of Jan Schoonhoven's minimalism are both quoted inspirations. Origami techniques, authentic welding using 20th century machinery, man-made and natural fabrics and painstaking detail are all employed in the collection and, yet, calm perseveres.
Calm is the underlying theme of the collection - or, rather, reinterpreting calm. There is a lot going on but it is all quiet interventions, expert tweaking of the familiar to create something that is a balance of both contemporary and classic.
Three themes run through: drapes and folds, craftsmanship and re-inventing. And through these themes we see seemingly simple garments with a lot more going on than what meets the eye, garments that focus on the process of making and which are involved in an inseparable dialogue with the human form.
Draping, folds, cut-outs, low backs and thin, wispy materials all play at hiding and revealing the body and the contrast with the textures of the fabrics and subtle flashes of flesh makes for highly sensuous clothes in the most literal of ways: the senses themselves are engaged, sight in the glimpses, sound in the swishes and touch in the textures. These are clothes made for bodies, for the interaction with human forms to make them truly come alive.
This is also true of the menswear where the palate and sensibility is a little more weighty, in tones of grey and in fabrics that are more solid and less floaty. However, this same sense of playing with the senses, playing with the form is still ever-present. As is craftsmanship. A crisp driving coat is made of a jacquard which is not merely an embellishment but embossed right into the fabric, weighing it down so that it skims forms, interacts more closely with them instead of hanging away. Another coat in a transparent grey, again, plays with the body in the revealing of flashes of flesh normally hidden away in such garments and is welded together using 1950s machinery in England. The devil is in the details, each piece tells a story, is more than itself. Gendering of garments and cuts also comes into question as necklines such as deep boat necks come into play, revealing areas we are used to seeing on women - the collar-bone and shoulders - but which are somewhat surprising and alluring given the unfamiliar context.
Reinvention runs throughout the collections but is, perhaps most obvious in the denim. Not only is it being presented as a plausible formalwear option and being given new silhouettes and contexts, it is also being physically reimagined. One of the most striking displays were the accessories that, as first seemed just very COS, restrained and pretty, but were actually man-made compressed recycled denim embossed stones in silver settings...Kinda mind-boggling, right?
COS SS16 may be their most editorial collection yet. As I said, what is key is the sensibility and the concepts at play, more than the clothes themselves - the debates, the discussions and questions that they encourage. But before the collection can float away entirely as something that is too conceptual and all idea and no substance, it is weighed down by dresses, shirts, suiting and knitwear that (much of) will fit immediately into wardrobes and an emphasis on making and craftsmanship that almost puts some couture to shame.
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