Dress Up - ‘Friendship’ Autumn/Winter 2009
Never has a time being that we create a sense of nostalgia for ourselves as a glimmer of hope and optimism for things that used to be all dandy and happy. And now, that the times are more contemporary than ever and with though some designers such as Raf Simons would prefer to call his collections rather fluid than ‘futuristic’ that has never been such a time when utilitarian basics dominate and govern the way we dress so fondly. Though, womenswear seeking to use manufactured organic silks and cottons is a signal for green decisions in the whole entire designed process, one fabric remains distilled. So close in fact that it could be as old as the history of lace and its Flemish roots. Denim has never been that glamorous acting as a symbol of low social class than high wealth but as the creatively and musically talented could see its tactile properties being texturally enduring, and also its rich indigo blue in colour it has always been enhanced by young guns of icons and figures. Stephen W. Daniels who wrote the titled article, ‘A Study in Denim’ in Issue 10 of Tate Etc. discussed three portraits with profound effect. An oil painting of Peter Blake in 1961 wearing a matching denim jacket and jeans that showed on one hand a fine example of British Pop Art but also the change in an era where war was left behind and denim’s emergence was just flowering. Over the years, this piece of fine double-twilled fabric was always a labor of love through to another example shown in the article of singer Elvis Presely standing proudly with his pair of denim jeans in 1949. The portrayal of denim throughout our history has been as significant as Tartan, the use of plaid which became a considerable measure in the modern fashion industry. Though its use became antagonistic and subversive it a distinguishable piece of cloth and used quite considerably, notably by Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo. As Suzy Menkes mentioned about the universal use of Tartan for this season by a number of designers, its vivid colour, versatility, its edgyness and becoming post-modernist (a reaction to clothes made for being quite sensual), its touch which can create a swarming feeling of lightning bolts or more elegant scarf wool-like shades create greater contrast than something such as leather itself. As both Denim and Tartan and even Burberry’s own trench coat have come from a more dowdy and military upbringing, they share a common theme of identity and a sense of personal belonging - to a group, a class and a fade maybe.
The choice of denim used by Stephanie Downey is embraced by her new collection titled Friendship. Because denim is a living organic fabric and not as synthetic as it is today, its integral and develops a realationship or even a bond with one another. Though the embodiment of her concept ‘Dress Up’ as ‘an ode to vanity’ this new collection, we are able to view equally measurable pieces featuring denim and sheepskin. A denim jacket and skirt of tencel makes the denim less dense but softer and warm, the skirt is extended and a wool twist top in light beige with a broader shoulder line. The zipper skirt made from sheepskin is attached with a cute behind zipper with the buttoned denim vest having a fittingly snug rounded shoulders. In this collection, warmth and its elongated shapes with the full high-waisted jeans and long-sleeved black zipper dress is as assertively considered in character and in personality. Dress Up is growing with maturity and age.
Denim Vest With Sheepskin Collar
Tencel Waisted Jeans
Sheepskin Collar.
The current collection of Dress Up is available at The PR Store in Sydney with the Autumn/Winter 2009 range soon.
Photography by Suleyman Karaaslan
Tags: Autumn/Winter 2009, Dress Up, Stephanie Downey, Womenswear