Summer Styling with Emilia Wickstead
New Zealander Emilia Wickstead, “arguably one of modern-day fashion’s most modest and functional designers”, talks to Grazia Middle East about the about the “intricacies of summer dressing”.
It may come as a surprise then that London-based Wickstead is also a fan of juxtapositions, Kelly Baldwin writes for the magazine.
“I believe that less is more, and that sometimes simplicity is the hardest thing to achieve. I love the juxtaposition of playing on this modest and simplistic rhythm while still showing skin in clever and unexpected ways through design. It makes what you wear all the more interesting,” Wickstead tells Grazia.
Wickstead is the internationally inspired designer whose collections are anchored in strong cuts, bold colour-work and effortless fabrics. In just over a decade (she first launched out of her South Kensington flat as a made-to-measure brand in 2008), she’s achieved an untouchable design DNA that is as celebratory as it is respectful of the female form. Season after season she presents pieces that intuitively align with the modern woman’s needs – “Freshness and playfulness. Ease and attitude. A wardrobe that exudes timelessness,” the designer states. This philosophy is doubtless not lost on Wickstead’s loyal army of females of public stature, including Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, Michelle Obama and Queen Rania of Jordan.
While her contemporaries command attention through obvious strokes of avant garde, Wickstead has been quietly subverting norms from the start. “The Emilia Wickstead woman is multidimensional – she is modern, elegant, intellectually savvy, and open to evolution which is reflected in the clothing that she wears,” she observes.
Matches Fashion – the British-born ecommerce site celebrated for its buy-in of forward-thinking, functional fashion names – has handpicked Wickstead to create a 27-piece capsule in celebration of its Il Pellicano collaboration (a series of curated shopping experiences and events in partnership with the Italian hotelier). The capsule marks the designer’s second beachwear collection and is an achingly dreamy ode to summer – think feminine, vintage cuts and a quixotic palette anchored in blue, pink and red.
“Summer always makes me think about being playful and having fun with your wardrobe,” Wickstead explains. She adds, “This collection brings feminine silhouettes and fun-loving details together – there is something for everyone and the pieces are designed to feel airy, light and luxurious; they can be taken from day to night with the right styling.”
Original article by Kelly Baldwin, Grazia Middle East, June 17, 2019.
