For Uniqlo duds that don't look more or less the same every season, style slaves can turn to the Ines de la Fressange collection. It's much more fashionable than what is usually churned out by the Japanese trailer and most refreshingly, the collaboration is in no way a shallow slapping of the past Chanel model's name onto the garments. It's a given that rummaging through Ines's apartment and discussing her favourite apparel laid out on the table one by one must happen for every collection. If anything, de la Fressange is one model worth taking after, and the clothes that she helps to design offer a great insight into the French culture and her lifestyle.
Naoki Takizawa, left, and Ines de la Fressange.
Descending from French aristocrats (and something of a fashion aristocrat herself), de la Fressange has had an iconic and illustrious career as a model and muse for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. Yet it is her easygoing chicness and unstuffy elegance that make her a very real fashion role model. One might wonder how someone as seemingly fashion-oriented as de la Fressange would fit into Uniqlo's mould of simplicity, but design director Naoki Takizawa says Ines is a woman that has the essence of Uniqlo.
"Designs from Jean Paul Gaultier or Karl Lagerfeld are the usual high-end brands of designer clothing that Ines has gone through," he explains. "She has worn all these clothes as a mother of two daughters, as a consumer in Paris — as well as a model. Her perspective of beauty comes from so many sides and she has learned over the years what truly benefits her as a consumer, model and professional woman. Actresses may appear one way when she is shot in the movie and like an entirely different person in real life. But Ines remains the same throughout. The clothing made from her perspective and catered to her needs is exactly what "Life" wear and the "Made for All" concept are all about."
The second Spring-Summer collection will take us to Marrakesh. The Moroccan summer is the ultimate vacation spot for the French, which was why it was chosen as an inspiration to give more insight into de la Fressange's life.
"Ines told me that she always visited Marrakesh for vacation," says Takizawa. "It's a natural thing for French people to do that every summer, as it's a very beautiful and a special city to visit."
What de la Fressange is feeling can be felt through the use of strong blues, yellows and earth tones that are abundant in Marrakesh. Although the textiles won't be display shiny or sequinned embroidery like you'd see in Morocco, the treatment of the fabric is definitely different from basic Uniqlo pieces. Black and white are also key colours for this collection, according to the design director.
"The sun is very strong in Marrakesh, and when it is like that it will fade all colours. As you can see in photographs, over time the colours fade and all that remains is the black and white."
Men who have been pining for an iconic, male-oriented collection can rest assured that they aren't the only ones nagging Takizawa — although the sulking will have to continue. He is flooded by this request from all directions, from his fashion friends from Paris to New York. As of now, there are no plans for the men's side, but Takizawa lets us in on a secret any man can get away with.
"I myself wear some pieces from the Ines collection in the 'L' size. Tell your boyfriend to do that."
Surely, only something versatile yet stylishly designed could pull off something like that.
The Ines de la Fressange Spring-Summer 2015 collection will hit Uniqlo stores in February.
