A limited-run collection, MINI FASHION FIELD NOTES Capsule Collection, the collaboration between MINI and The Woolmark Company, one of the world’s most recognised and respected brands in textile and fashion, was presented for the first time in Asia at the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2018 last week.
The 16-piece MINI FASHION FIELD NOTES Capsule Collection, which was first introduced at the Pitti Uomo 94, features a quartet of up-and-coming international designers translating personal memories from travelling into fashion pieces using the finest Merino wool. The guiding theme of MINI FASHION is “Transcending Borders” and the Capsule Collection celebrates the experiences one makes while traveling to new and unknown territories. Each of the four designers have sourced inspiration from trips to foreign cities and woven the encounters and stories they’ve picked up along the way into garments for the collection.
The designers involved in the MINI FASHION FIELD NOTES Capsule Collection are Liam Hodges (UK), Staffonly (China), PH5 (USA), and Rike Feurstein (Germany). Most of them are alumni of the International Woolmark Prize, one of the world’s most renowned awards for rising stars of the fashion world.
Liam Hodges, United Kingdom
British designer, his work draws rich inspiration from modern sub-cultures, hip-hop skatewear, UK streetwear and post-punk influences which he fuses into punchy, multi-layered statements. His signature elements include wide silhouettes, patch working and references to hard-wearing workwear and sportswear.
His designs for MINI FASHION also exudes a new yet familiar feeling, giving classics such as jeans, denim jackets, and long-sleeves something fresh to say through the use of wool (especially Wool Denim). Rounding off Hodges’ six-piece look is a car coat, a bucket hat and a travel pouch made from a water-repellent bonded wool fabric in a classic Prince of Wales check.
Staffonly, China
Shimo Zhou and Une Yea founded the young label, Staffonly, in Shanghai just three years ago. Their ethos of fashion combines technology and design with experiments on materials and colours for a provocative take on the subject, that is enhanced by unusual and sculpted silhouettes. Their designs exude curiosity and a yearning to explore a world still unknown.
The lush green of the Greenwich Park lawns provides the central colour theme for this contribution to the limited-edition collection. The Meridian Line running through the park effortlessly brings the Bonnet Stripes on a MINI to mind. These two elements form the connecting theme for Staffonly’s ensemble of jacket, shirt, and patchwork jeans. One of the highlights of their creation is the matching duffle bag which also serves as a garment bag; a handy accessory for any urban traveller.
PH5, USA
Brought to life by Wei Lin – the daughter of a large knitwear manufacturer, and award-winning designer Mijia Zhangin in New York in 2014, PH5 majors in advanced contemporary knitwear. The label challenges the conventional vision of knitwear by marrying whimsical designs with the architectural dimensions of innovative knitting techniques. PH5 sets out to create boundary-breaking knitwear with a new and playful twist. Their pieces for the MINI FASHION FIELD NOTES Capsule Collection are inspired by the Art Deco District of Miami Beach.
The same combination of pastel colours and technical design features can also be found in the Jacquard woven wool sweater with MINI and PH5 logos, sleeveless knitted jumpsuit and hand-crocheted shawl, which doubles up as a travel rug.
Rike Feurstein, Germany
The work of Berlin designer Rike Fourstein explores the fine line between art and fashion. Deeply rooted in the vanishing craft of millinery, Rike creates hats and clothing in avant-garde shapes. With a keen eye, she experiments with surprising colour combinations, invents new kinds of surface structures and plays with surrealist details, thus creating contemporary, exclusive and elegant clothes and accessories. Her pieces for the MINI FASHION FIELD NOTES Capsule Collection draw on impressions from a trip to Russia – in particular the Catherine Palace south of St. Petersburg, the original home to the legendary Amber Room.
The MINI FASHION FIELD NOTES Capsule Collection will be displayed exclusively at KLFW 2018 from now until Sunday, 12th August 2018. Be sure to check it out on Level 3, Couture Pavilion, at the Prada-Rolex area.
Read also: Mark Your Calendar Because Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2018 Schedule Is Out!
