How Anna Cleveland Inspired & Other Stories’ Couture-like Capsule Collection
MILAN — “Chic, chic, chic” is how Anna Cleveland defined & Other Stories’ latest Savoir collection, the H&M-owned brand’s higher-end line aimed at spotlighting the know-how of its design studio.
Donning a matching brocade set from the line, Cleveland was the host of a dinner that celebrated the collection here on Wednesday. The role came second to the one she played as muse of the lineup and face of the dedicated ad campaign that will promote the limited-edition capsule, which drops at selected & Other Stories stores globally and e-commerce on Friday.
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Following in the footsteps of model and artist Kirsty Hume — who inspired the Savoir spring range released earlier this year — Cleveland, her flamboyant personality and stage presence were taken as reference to develop pieces that nod to ‘50s glam with their generous volumes and rich textures.
Organic mulberry silk, RWS-certified wool and metallic brocades were among the fabrications deployed to craft ruffled dresses, fluid and shiny tailoring, opulent two-piece sets as well as an embellished opera coat and an embroidered bomber jacket, among others. Further amplifying the dressed-up feel of the collection and its retro flair, pearls and crystal were scattered across shoes — including kitten-heeled slingback styles and pointy pumps with sculptural heels — and accessories, ranging from a vintage-looking handbag to statement jewelry in organic shapes. The line will retail for between 99 euros and 250 euros.
“We envisioned this collection for the spirited freethinker — a stylistic adventuress like Anna, whose wardrobe is a creativity-fueled collage of color, print and texture,” said & Other Stories’ atelier designer Frida Billegren.
“For this season, I really wanted to embrace my own passion for the haute couture heritage and the craftsmanship within design to create a collection that’s a little bit new for [the brand, compared to] what you’ve seen before….I wanted to look back in time to vintage classics and focused a lot around the ’50s and ‘60s. I think they were such chic and lovely eras to look at,” Billegren said.
The designer started to ponder the idea a couple years ago, while digging in vintage archives during a stay in Paris. Her vision matched with Cleveland’s “majestic” presence and poise, with the model lifting “the collection to another level.”
As for the silhouettes featured in the range, Billegren particularly underscored the importance of including matching sets. “I love having them because [they enable one] to dress up or dress down, so you can be red carpet gold, like Anna tonight, but [can] also imagine wearing these brocade pants with a cotton shirt to the office. I love to be able to work with a wardrobe in that way,” she said.
Ditto for Cleveland’s own favorite look, the golden attire she wore for the launch event and in the ad images. “I love wearing a two-piece matching set when dressing for special occasions,” she said. Yet she suggested to “always choose timeless pieces you can see yourself wearing down the line, and not just for one occasion” as a general style tip to live by.
Born in 1989 in the Netherlands, Cleveland has been immersed in the fashion world since an early age, being the daughter of legendary supermodel Pat Cleveland and former fashion photographer Paul van Ravenstein.
She made her runway debut at 5 years old, walking for Moschino with her mother. “I remember wearing a T-shirt and looking up at all the girls and thinking [that] one day I’ll wear those beautiful clothes,” she recalled. “At the end of the show, the designer came to me and gave me a stuffed frog. He said: ‘If you kiss the frog, your wish will come true, and you will dress up beautifully and meet your Prince Charming.’ Well, it all happened,” said Cleveland, who last year tied the knot with Dazed Media’s cofounder Jefferson Hack.
“Fashion empowers me by affirming that I can be anyone I dream to be,” she said. “I love fashion and film: I feel it’s the new form of editorial expression. I would love to explore that more. We can always expand in new ways,” she concluded.
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