Tween did a good jobbing closing this season’s fashion week. The male models in suits were carrying green or blue blankets in a sophisticated way on leather straps. With light trench coats, mackinaw coats, woollen cardigans and bonnets, leather jackets and sturdy shoes they were ready to set off and conquer the world.
Founded in Istanbul in 1994, Tween was the first Turkish fashion collection to enter the UK market and presented an AW 2011 collection that is placed between eclectic and elegant, luxurious and casual, east and west and is absolutely wearable. Multipurpose garments were created with an innate elegance, with highlight pieces including reversible functional coats that can also be used as bags.
Featured in the show to music by London-based DJ John Gosling were net scarves in pale yellow, ties combined with bonnets, cotton string bags, chunky knitwear, coated and washed woollen jackets, velvet blazers with leather elbow patches and quilted trench coats, contrasting collars and side seam details, material mixes on jackets, all of them styled by David Bradshaw.
I’ve spotted safety pins as earrings and the hair – if not covered by a bonnet- was neatly combed to the right side by the Toni & Guy session team directed by Jody Taylor. I loved the reduced colour palette of grey, olive, maroon, green, mustard and burgundy that work well together and create a notion of closeness to nature.
Cuffed trousers with military side pockets or pyjama trousers combined with blazers and turtle necks set the idea of a determined travelling men of any age – if it gets too cold he would simply wrap the blanket around him.
On line with the new collection’s modern and freedom loving spirit, Tween has collaborated with a selection of experimental young video artists to offer their interpretation of the individual pieces in the collection. These videos underline the key concepts of the collection: courage, freedom, running away, adventure, movement and discovery.
