Financial Times Europe - 02.11.2019 - 03.11.2019

4 ★ FT Weekend 2 November/3 November 2019

Style

W

hile working for Burb-

erry and later at Rag &

Bone in New York, the

fashion designer Geor-

gia Dant travelled fre-

quently but always found packing chal-

lenging. “With the changes in climate I

never knew what to take,” she says. “I’d

be thinking, ‘I need this coat if it’s cold

and this if it’s warm, but what if it’s rain-

ing?’ I’d end up with so much stuff that I

decided I just wanted clothes that could

do more for you. One piece that you

could wear five different ways, so you

only have to pack one coat.”

And with that, the concept for Marfa

Stance was born — Dant’s new lux-

ury brand of multifunctional,

buildable apparel, designed to

streamline your wardrobe

with sustainability in mind.

Launched in June, the con-

cept is coming into its own as

temperatures drop. Custom-

ers can start with the signa-

ture reversible quilt coat — a

loose-fit, drop-sleeved coat

that’s lightweight yet insulated

and made of a shimmering Jap-

anese nylon; sage green on

one side and pale yellow on

the other. Should one wish,

a removable shearling col-

lar in mint green or baby

pink can be added. As

temperatures cool fur-

ther, the reversible quilt

jacket doubles up as an

inner lining, fitting

seamlessly inside the

buildable Parka,

which (naturally)

comes with a remova-

ble hood. Next season,

Dant will evolve the concept into an

entire wardrobe, including a clever duo-

layered vest, as well as knits and shirts

with detachable sleeves. She’s mulling

over a stylish way to do trousers that

turn into shorts, which anyone with a

horror of those zip-at-the-knee combat

trousers will agree is tricky territory.

Marfa Stance is just one of a number

of brands to offer multifunctional cloth-

ing. The words reversible, packable and

modular are popping up in descriptions

of garments. Last season, Louis Vuit-

ton’s artistic director of menswear, Vir-

gil Abloh, invented his own word —

Accessomorphosis — defining the port-

manteau noun as: “the transformation

of an accessory into a garment, effec-

tively evolving its functional form.” The

integration of bags into clothes is a

recurring detail in Abloh’s designs.

In his pre-fall collection this year, he

went on to introduce the concept of

“compressomorphis”, pockets that

allow garments to compress for travel

purposes. For next season he has taken

the concept to impressive heights in the

form of Louis Vuitton 2054 — a capsule

of 14 multifunctional garments

informed by performance wear and

designed for travel. They include a pad-

ded shirt that can transform into a pil-

low, a parka that splits into two jackets

and, most extraordinarily, a coat with a

back pocket that unrolls into a tent with

built-in tent poles. The pocket then

transforms into the tent’s door. Of

course it does.

All of which could make other

designer’s offerings look less ambitious.

But for those not planning on taking

their coat to the Himalayas there are

many, simpler, options. At Dover Street

Market, women can currently find

Junya Watanabe’s dual-purpose collec-

tion for AW19, which is made up of

reversible patterned coats that can be

turned around and worn as dresses.

There’s also a Y Project shirt that comes

with adaptable sleeves and is double-

layered so it can become a dress,

depending on how you fasten it.

“Added value isn’t necessarily a term

that comes to mind when thinking

about fashion and luxury, but there are

a multitude of brands and designers

playing with ideas of function to do just

that,” says Bosse Myhr, Selfridges direc-

tor of womenswear and menswear.

“There are simple but transformative

ways to make core pieces work harder

and fulfil different roles.”

Selfridges is currently selling 1017

Alyx 9SM’s trainers with Vibram soles

that can be removed — instantly trans-

forming them into a pair of Derby shoes

fit for the office. There are reversible or

“split-personality” statement coats

from luxury labels such as Fendi, Valen-

tino and Gucci that give the wearer a

choice of “look-at-me” brights in a myr-

iad of patterns, or high-impact logos on

one side and a more understated design

on the other. Each coat can be switched

depending on your mood or your audi-

ence. Bosse also points to outerwear

from Yves Salomon and MaxMara

which offer two luxury fabrications

instead of one, with shearling on one

side, leather on the other. “Avant-garde

brands like Comme des Garçons, Hel-

mut Lang and Y’s by Yohji are also using

functionality as a design detail, with

removable and detachable elements

adding interest, as well as multiple ways

to wear,” he says.

The star piece of Roksanda Ilincic’s

debut collection for the Canadian

sportswear brand Lululemon, which

launched last month, is the limited edi-

tion inner expanse infinity coat — a mas-

terpiece in colour, design and function.

Its removable features and packable

details mean that it can be worn as a

coat, a puffer jacket, a gilet or a trench.

The hood and sleeves are detachable

and layers are snapped

together with simple

press studs. Ilincic,

renowned for her

elongated hem-

lines and hyper

feminine runway

silhouettes, wanted

to expand on Lululemon’s design signa-

tures — the brand’s sportswear is often

packable or multifunctional. “We began

with a sleeping bag and tried playing

and freely experimenting with different

shapes and proportions,” she says. “We

all live really fast and are constantly on

the go, so you need something that can

take you from day to night — from the

office, to the gym and also out to dinner

or even another continent. This coat

encapsulates all those possibilities.”

Fiona Firth, the buying director of Mr

Porter — which is currently selling a

Peter Millar + Loro Piana weather-

resistant wool blazer that comes with a

removable padded panel for insulation

— points out the timely ethical consider-

ation in garments that can do more than

one job. “In an age where society is

becoming more morally conscious of

purchases and reducing waste, pieces

which offer practical and flexible ele-

ments for various events or climates will

make customers feel like they are get-

ting more bang for their buck,” she says.

This was at the forefront of Anna

Laub’s mind when she created Prism2 —

an offshoot of her main Prism fashion

brand which specialises in sunglasses

and swimwear. Launched this week,

Prism2 is a collection of multipurpose

products such as bra tops, bodies, leg-

gings, biker shorts and briefs — they can

all be used as swimwear, sportswear and

underwear as the fabric is chlorine-re-

sistant and sweat-wicking. “Everyone

now needs a bit more justification to

buy something,” says Laub. “We’re

seeing a backlash from

all these multiple-

drops and the direc-

tive to buy, buy, buy

from brands that we

had for years. Customers

are questioning that now and rightly so.”

Made in Italy, the collection is manu-

factured using an eco-dye technique

approved by Greenpeace and a seamless

3D-knitting manufacturing processthat

reduces waste. “There needs to be a rea-

son why you’re making something and

how often and how long it is going to be

used for,” says Laub. “Designers really

need to think about that now.”

A trick up its sleeve

Trend From reversible parkas|

to shoes with detachable soles,

are multipurpose clothes

the future? ByKate Finnigan

T

he Queen occupies a

unique position in

history. She is the first

monarch that even

staunch republicans

allow themselves to admire. Her

self-discipline, tireless work ethic

and commitment to duty are

oddly unarguable.InThe Other

Side of the Coin y Angela Kelly,b

personal adviser, curator and sen-

ior dresser to Her Majesty the

Queen (and keeper of the mon-

arch’s jewellery, insignias and

wardrobe) as well as in-house

designer, the author shares details

of their working life: the fabrics,

the brooches, the hemlines, the

cuppas, the mending, the staved-

off disasters, the appliqued

organza shamrocks and the

pranks.

For 25 years Miss Kelly, a Liver-

pool-born mother of three who

was formerly the housekeeper of

the British ambassador to Ger-

many, has been at Her Majesty’s

side ensuring she has a uniform

that is practical, visible, immacu-

late and cheerful — a specific and

unusual fashion remit. This is a

book that is as much about love as

clothing.Kelly knows what it is

like to walk in Her Majesty’s shoes

— she breaks in the monarch’s new

pumps to make them comfortable,

after all. The Queen also knows

something of what it means to be

Angela. When the Queen lifts her

crown to put it on, elly’s feelingsK

sometimes get the better of her at

which point her employer tuts and

smiles.

The book is a strange mixture of

things. It is one part mash-note —

the Queen’s consideration, mod-

esty and courage are often praised;

two parts practical detail, such as

“the Queen was in need of some

checked skirts” so we went to the

fabric mill at Halley Stevensons;

and three parts unimaginably

complex tradition, procedures

and museum-style curation. This

is most notable when Kelly recre-

ates a new version of the christen-

ing gown worn by Queen Victoria’s

children, in the mid 2000s, after

the original became too fragile.

Above all, Kelly’s commitment

to making the Queen’s life easier

rings out from every page. Hand-

written diary entries list her out-

fits and jewellery with precision.

“June 30 2019: lavender crepe

morning dress”, then “Stewart

Parvin ‘peonies’. A-line coat in

powder blue crepe, silk dress in

shades of powder blue and pink

... sapphire and diamonds...
12.15 return.. .” There are note-
books filled with childish anno-
tated drawings, like Bunty cut-out
dolls, of the Queen’s looks. What
others might consider teacup-
storms, Kelly views as matters of
life or death. She holds her breath
after deciding a coral hat looks
better worn back to front, to see if
the nation agrees. She staves off
genuine disasters dexterously.
When a poor steer from courtiers
means the Queen nearly appears
before the Pope wrongly attired,
Kelly reveals two Pope-apprope
dresses she’s had secretly made
and saves the day with a fairy god-
motherly flourish. The hardest
challenges often occur (as those of
us who’ve perfected the art of the
quick change in the toilets of KFC,
Notting Hill Gate know) when
there are several different engage-
ments back to back.
The level of detail in this book
occasionally stuns. Pages are dedi-
cated to the storage and prepara-
tion of the state robe for the open-
ing of Parliament, which requires
four people just to lift it. The
Poppins-like staunch and breezy
pronouncements that are scat-
tered through this volume are very
likeable... Dilute washing up liq-
uid can remove hairspray tarnish
from tiaras; after 6pm the Queen
does not usually wear a hat; old
clothes come in handy considering
her majesty is “likely to encounter
the odd muddy dog.”
Kelly is astonishingly happy in
her job. She is serious in all her
endeavours, moved and proud to
be such an important part of the
machine that enables a 93-year-
old woman to hold her own, mag-
nificently, in a fast-changing
world.
Glowing tributes from col-
leagues and grandchildren attest-
ing to her professionalism top and
tail this book and are, perhaps, a
little de trop. Yet as you read you
cannot help wondering what it
would be like to have your own
Miss Kelly looking out for you,
anticipating your every need,
devoted to your ventures, protect-
ing your interests and divining
that what first appears to be a tulip
embellishment on a hat is in actual
fact Snake’s head fritillary.

‘The Other Side of the Coin’, is

published by HarperCollins, £20

How to dress

the Queen

ReviewTiaras, tweed and cups of tea: a new book

by the monarch’s personal stylist reveals the inner

workings of the royal wardrobe.BySusie Boyt

Handwritten diary

entries list her outfits

and jewellery with

precision

‘Pieces that offer flexible

elements for various

climates make customers

feel like they are getting

more bang for their buck’

Clockwise from main: Lululemon x

Roksanda; Junya Watanabe AW19;

Marfa Stance; 1017 Alyx 9SM

detachable sole Derby shoes, £911;

Louis Vuitton 2054

The Queen Barry Jeffrey—

Detail of the Queen’s wardrobe

NOVEMBER 2 2019 Section:Weekend Time: 31/10/2019- 17:27 User:andrew.higton Page Name:WKD4, Part,Page,Edition:WKD, 4, 1