Having met the Jena.Theo designers (Jenny Holmes and Dimitris Theocharidis) at their press day back in March/April, I was very much looking forward to their SS11 debut as I knew to expect lots of super volume, a departure from black and grey and their trademark aesthetic for deconstruction.
As the lights rose, the exotic and tanned models filed out bobbing down the catwalk like giant fuchsias in full bloom, due to the heavy use of hot pinks and lavenders peppered throughout the collection – proving this to be one of the most quintessentially summer catwalks I’ve seen thus far. With every other models head swathed in fine silk white wraps, the overall look was a nod to old Victorian India.
By deftly fusing together elements from Victorian British colonialism and 21st Century Indian influences evident in Britain, the Bandoliers collection was the perfect juxtaposition of elegance from a by-gone era and modern cutting and draping techniques fused together seamlessly.
Playing with our notions of proportion, Jena.Theo’s SS11 collection was ripe with multi-functional garments which could be worn on their own, or deconstructed to form separates, ultimately giving their customers more bang for their buck (for want of a better phrase). Elegantly building upon their love of all things voluminous, fabrics were vast and bountiful, pleated and tucked effortlessly combining traditional sari shapes with western draping and embellishing.
From the luxurious silk twills, comfortable jerseys, and pastel denims this collection was one of pure experimentation and an expression of opulence, colour and cultural delight, deftly highlighting the exuberance of the traditional Holi Festival, where coloured pigments and herbs are thrown by revellers and worshippers.
The most structured piece to grace their BFC catwalk was a lavender hoop/cage skirted silk dress, which I feel was the pièce de résistance of this strong collection.
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