A TEXTURAL TWIST

FAUX FUR

The blend of classic and contemporary is a central element of our AW17 collection and nothing matches the old world, tactile pleasure of faux fur. Plush, versatile and exquisitely soft to the touch, it looks great and feels even better. Long established as an essential element of a chic autumn and winter wardrobe, the fabrication is given a new lease on life for AW17. As faux fur has been cropping up on the runway, we adopt it to create distinctive pieces that combine wearability with pure luxury.

In the Aeven wrap coat, faux fur makes for a design-led coat collar and the Maggie scarf attests to its exquisite comfort. But our new collection also includes a number of everyday items that let the plush fabric take centre stage. The Tora gilet is a case in point. With an elegant longline silhouette, the padded faux fur waistcoat has a wide collar and minimal accents. Ideal for layering, the cool weather cover-up comes in a versatile sand colour. It will do best when paired with similarly luxurious fabrics; think silk shirts, cashmere roll-necks and leather trousers.

burnout detailiing

Burnout – that splash of velvety fabric that waxes and wanes in volume to create a pattern – is a distinctive and intriguing choice, bringing serious sophistication to print-inspired looks. Also known by its sultry French name devoré, burnout is a central texture in our AW17 collection. Though it has a certain statement association, calling to mind eveningwear in particular, burnout is made effortlessly wearable through its use for a number of key pieces.

The Abigail dress is the perfect example here. Mixing burnout with sheer detailing and some well-placed ruffles, the dress is an exquisitely chic example of the season’s texture trends converging. With a dusky pink lining, it features a simple but distinctive geometric pattern that shows the pared-back possibilities of the look. Put it together with another AW17 trend: red. A deep red bag like the Arnott cross-body will offset the dress perfectly.

RUFFLES

Combined with a renewed overall focus on femininity, a sense of escapism has been threaded throughout AW17’s major trends. A perfect example of this is ruffles: they’re elegant, distinctive and wonderfully soft to the touch. Imbued with an easy sophistication, those little frills are not only easy to wear but also beautifully flattering.

Featuring an otherwise understated silhouette, the Dallas sleeveless top is brought to life with a generous amount of ruffling at the neckline plus a little at the sleeves. Texture is at the heart of this piece and that focus can be brought out with the simple addition of wide-leg trousers and block heels. The result is an easy answer to on-trend workwear and the top can also be used for slightly more adventurous texture mixing. Faux fur will pair nicely.

MIXED MEDIA

Textures go well when mixed with other textures, and a number of our AW17 pieces combine different tactile effects. The Abigail dress, for example, brings together ruffling and burnout while the Nia jumper stamps the distinctive touch of quilting onto the softness of velvet.

The Ruth shirt, in particular, combines different textural elements that result in that office-to-cocktail bar versatility. Taking the evergreen trend for florals in a new direction, the shirt features a red lotus flower design in burnout with sheer detailing. Red is an essential AW17 trend, and the shirt uses the colour subtly, giving it a quiet smoulder. To let the balance of textures do the talking, pair it with a tough-luxe material like leather. The Ace mini skirt will work particularly well.

QUILTING

Bold and sophisticated, quilting is making a major splash this season. Because of its unmistakably luxurious quality, the fabrication has long since made the move from being the distinctive element in high-end accessories to becoming the lynchpin of key trend pieces.

The Nia jumper combines the pure tactile bliss of velvet with the assured femininity of quilting and the easy-to-wear silhouette is just pared-back enough to let the quilting stand out. Finished in a sort of autumn-luxe bronze tone, the jumper can be used to bring distinction to an everyday cool weather outfit  without being loud. Alternatively, it can be paired with shearling or a faux fur scarf as part of a layered cool weather ensemble. Quilting is the ideal fabrication for quiet acts of sartorial rebellion.