Aubin & Wills’ sunny new collection is a heritage-soaked celebration of the Great British Summer. i-D hopped on a train to the country and took a roll in the hay…
Click images to enlarge.
Inspired by the past but living in the present, Aubin & Wills’ spring/summer 12 collection is a perfect blend of town and country; of smart suiting and preppy sportswear; of modern design mixed into a rich heritage. In a collection celebrating what’s sure to be an amazing year, from the London Olympics to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the brand has drawn on Great British classics to create wonderful woollen jumpers, tailored shorts and cute dresses. Then there’s the eclectic mix of summery fabrics, including ginghams, homegrown laces, oxford shirting, rich cottons, seersuckers, and striped linens. Aubin & Wills’ dedicated design team have taken in the romance of our island, investigated its lost traditions and folklore, and worked closely with mills and manufacturers from the Welsh valleys to the Scottish highlands. They’ve created handcrafted items and also worked closely with renowned manufacturers such as Fox Brothers, est. 1792, and Grenson, est. 1866. It’s a deeply authentic vision of British dressing.
The swift red fox, in his top hat, monocle and pipe, is about a lot more than just fashion of course. A couple of years ago Aubin & Wills opened its concept store at 66-68 Redchurch Street – just around the corner from i-D’s East London offices – accompanied by an art space and a movie theatre. The Aubin Gallery, curated by pop art provocateur Stuart Semple, opened with a show from i-D favourite Adham Faramawy (included in The Royal Issue’s Academy Schools article), followed it up with a series of exhibitions of young artists, and is now installing Pop Molecule: The Appearance of Science. Then there’s the Aubin Cinema, opened in conjunction with Soho House, which nightly screens fantastic films from The Artist to The Illusionist. This is an intimate picture-house with 45 seats, all velvet sofas and chairs plumped up with Aubin & Wills cushions, as well as a classy bar selling Malbec to sip on and honeycomb, lemon salted almonds and stilton walnut cookies to snack upon. It’s amazing. For a chance to win no less than 45 tickets to a private screening at the cinema for you and your friends, just answer the following question…
Which films have influenced your personal style over the years? And send to aubinandwills@i-dmagazine.co.uk. Competition closes 29th March.*
aubinandwills.com
@aubinandwills
Text: Dean Kissick
Photography: Mark Kean
Styling: Elgar Johnson
Hair: Soichi Inagaki using Bumble and bumble
Make-up: Lucy Burt at Premier
Photographic Assistance: Jonnie Begood
Models: May at Union, Leanne at Viva London, DJ at Select and Jake at Next
Location van Digibus
Special thanks Poynings Grange Farm. All clothes Aubin & Wills.
*Prize redeemable in April or May 2012. Recipient must select from film schedule from Mon-Sat before 6pm and provide 2 potential dates for the screening.
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