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“Function-Led, Beauty-Infused”: Lululemon x Roksanda is the Collection Your Wardrobe has Been Waiting For
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Every now and then, a collection comes along that stops us in our tracks. And Lululemon’s team up with Roksanda is undoubtedly one of those collections. Launching on October 22nd, the collection is at once quintessentially Roksanda and Lululemon – it works for brunch, as much as it does for burning serious calories in your chosen workout.
“It’s really a combination of run, train, yoga and life on the move,” Audrey Reilly, the senior vice president of women’s design at Lululemon tells us. That totality, she says, “allowed us to build two stunning capsules where every female is given the choice of how she wants to layer the pieces.”
And although it looks like it could strut down a runway, Reilly says there’s been no compromise on Lululemon’s signature technical expertise. “In amongst this mini wardrobe is all high performance function. Every single garment goes beyond just the visual, it’s all highly functional.” Pieces have been infused with the brand’s DWR (Durable Water Repellent), sweat-wicking and quick-dry technologies.
Talks on collaborating first began back in 2017, evolving into broader discussions around brand DNA and how the two fit together. For Reilly, it was “a match made in heaven” as Roksanda has “very similar shared values and vision to us.” From those transcontinental discussions (Roksanda’s studio is based in East London and Lululemon calls Vancouver home) came what Reilly describes as “something that is really function-led, and beauty-infused.”
There was mutual admiration between the brands and their respective strengths. “[Roksanda] was completely fascinated by our innovation, our raw materials drive, our understanding of the close-to-body fit. I was completely fascinated by her proportions and tailoring and how she looks at the female form.” The resulting collection is a chic marriage of the two.
A complete lifestyle collection in bold colours and fashion-forward cuts, the capsules (the first of which drops on October 22nd with the second to follow in January) have been designed to cater to the modern woman’s AM to PM lifestyle. “We’re all about celebrating the modern woman and her life on the move,” says Reilly. “She’s someone we call the Urban Nomad. There’s this notion of her having this AM to PM, street to sweat consistency in her wardrobe. She can mix and match, layer and de-layer, and it will all fit into every aspect of her day. It’s quite poetic.”
For Reilly, the hero piece in the collection is hard to pinpoint, although she does have two favourites. The Inner Expanse Infinity Coat ($998) for its technical innovation (it’s a 26-in-1 style. Yes, you read that correctly – see it in action below) and the Face Forward Define Jacket. “The Face Forward Define Jacket, to me, is a celebration of both of our brands because what we did was take what we are both known for and make this stunning juxtaposition in this beautiful silhouette.”
The collection also includes bags designed by Katie Hillier, whose CV includes handbag design for fashion heavyweights such as Marc Jacobs and Loewe. Oh, and she’s also one-half of the duo behind Hillier Bartley. Bringing Hillier into the fold completed the Holy Trinity of design genius present in the collection. Reilly, who describes Hillier as “an absolute handbag guru”, says there was an “amazing synergy” between the three creatives during the process.
As for how she anticipates the Lululemon customer will respond to the collection, Reilly says she doesn’t expect for clients to wear the collection head-to-toe but rather curate the items that work in with her lifestyle. “Our customer loves colour, and being confident in her space,” she explains. “She’s a very empowered female. She will choose what she believes will fit into her wardrobe.”
The post “Function-Led, Beauty-Infused”: Lululemon x Roksanda is the Collection Your Wardrobe has Been Waiting For appeared first on FASHION Magazine.
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October 18, 2019 at 09:30PM