It’s hard to think of the beauty and clarity of polar landscapes and snowy Arctic climes, without thinking of the environmental human damage we’re inflicting on the earth’s iciest environments. Our relationship with the winter world, and the impact of climate change on nature, was something noted by designers on the A/W 2019 catwalks. At Pringle of Scotland, Fran Stringer lined her runway with melting chunks of ice, while at Byblos, Manuel Facchini created a show set awning, glinting with the phantasmagoric pastel tones of the Aurora Borealis.
‘The fascinating, enigmatic light show of the Northern Lights and the crystal clear purity of Arctic landscapes inspired my collection,’ Facchini enthuses. Here, icy references abounded, from men’s puffer jackets and ski goggles, to women’s dresses deconstructed like graphic snowflakes and shaggy fur ski boots and mittens imagined in Facchini’s favoured neon hues. The collection’s opening look even featured a glossy trenchcoat, in an illusory laminate fabric evoking the prismatic tones of the Aurora Borealis.
Facchini also flexed his environmentally friendly credentials with a series of ski jackets, appearing folded from delicate origami paper, their fronds stuffed with ‘eco-friendly pearls’ crafted from pailettes made from recycled plastic. ‘Bottles got a second life, becoming the magic ingredient in these garments,’ Facchini says. His approach bears parallels with that of London-based label Mother of Pearl. Its founder Amy Powney is strongly committed to sustainable practises, and for the brand’s S/S 2019 see now buy now collection, it created a ball pit of 300,000 recycled pearl balls, in a nod to the profusion of micro plastics that end up in the ocean. In an expansive environmentally-friendly take, Byblos’ collection also featured recyled nylon and eco fur.
‘With A/W 2019 Byblos traces a new path for guaranteeing a future for the next generation,’ Facchini says. ’It’s an approach which will continue with future collections.’ §
