Sunday November 8, 2009

Creating a storm

By OLIVIA LEE

New in town, British brand Monsoon offers shoppers a mix of British eccentricity, bejewelled colours and feminine charm.

ITS designs are eccentric, discerning and unique. Therein lies the charm of Monsoon.

Launched in 1973 by Peter Simon in Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge, London, the brand has stamped its mark on British high-street shopping and is currently one of its most sought after stores.

From the Romany range comes this gypsy floral embroidered dress.

Monsoon’s team of talented designers gather ideas and influences from around the world, and take inspiration from the season’s trends, to create the label’s new collections. Fabric and colour are also important and influences from the Far East exercise a strong influence on its overall look.

The brand’s collections include womenswear, childrenswear, menswear, a home collection and accessories. There is also a new trend-led capsule collection called Fusion.

This label is now available in Malaysia; however, only the ladies collection has made its way to our shores. Its latest Autumn/Winter 2009 range contains strong Bohemian elements that are striking yet ultra-feminine.

The collection crosses continents and traverses cultures whilst drawing inspiration from its heritage of exotic colours and ornamental prints.

The designs have been given quirky but apt names, and you’ll see why.

Drawing on the cultures of native America, Navajo explores the nostalgia of the prairies of the Wild West with handcrafted traditional techniques and tribal decoration. Blanket checks and intarsia (mosaic) knits are merged with formal jacquards and tailored stripes. The result – a charming, homespun range reminiscent of days gone by.

A rustic palette of earthy browns and dusty charcoals are spiced up with sienna and wild berry to enhance the authenticity and warmth of the theme.

Then there’s Romany – inspired by an eclectic mix of East meets West. The range boasts contemporary harmony, and print and pattern dominate, with gypsy florals taking centrestage.

A brown Carrington faux fur coat worn over a multi-coloured Medina dress.

Its black palette is infused with flashes of citrus brights and jewel tones to create a kaleidoscope of colour. Amongst the predominant folkloric embroidery and delicate placement appliqués is military detailing which adds a masculine edge to the range. Chunky brass hard-ware and a more structured silhouette are contrasted with butter-soft leather and touches of faux-fur for a luxurious, urban aesthetic.

Stately Chic brings the collection back to the English countryside.

A modern take on the 1940’s era, this range fuses watercolour florals with gentrified tweeds for a quirky yet feminine look. Cable-knit cardigans are thrown over tapestry embroidered dresses; jewel encrusted embellishment on shift dresses add playful decadence.

For 1970s styling influenced by the exotic, look for Mantilla and Hareem.

Mantilla is a romantic collection with Latin overtones and boasts contrasting traditional rose florals, Spanish shawl embroideries and artistic painterly prints. Topaz blue and fuschia pink are layered with burnt orange and tonal slate greys in this dark and brooding flamenco–inspired collection.

Subtle ethnic chic is the key to the glamorous styling of Hareem. Taking inspiration from the “glamazons’’ of the 1970s – Iman, Bianca Jagger and Marie Helvin – the range is infused with sleek modern silhouettes and fluid draping.

Embellished Grecian cocktail dresses in futuristic metallics, one-shoulder goddess dresses and high-shine satin all-in-ones make an understated statement, whilst hammered and crumpled silks give texture in a delicate and ornate way.

Tonal beadwork and necklace embellishment add a luxurious feel to the collection, with kingfisher blue, emerald green and regal purple hues providing a striking contrast against a mostly metallic base.

Taking historical reference from the early 1800s, Regency uses theatrical elements to dramatise the styling of the collection. Draping and structure are explored through the use of fluid duchess satins and metallic jacquards, diffused with blurred florals for a less austere aesthetic.

Delicate fluting and rippling pleats are twisted with gathered organza to offer a whimsical nod to a more feminine time. Decorative ribbons, velvet detailing and jewellery-inspired embellishment make dramatic statements on the more timeless investment pieces in the range.

Monsoon is available exclusively at Parkson KLCC and the brand’s flagship store will open on Thursday on level one (new wing), 1 Utama shopping centre, Petaling Jaya. Prices start from RM155.