Words Thomas Brooks
Throughout Fashion Week for both SS21 and AW21, many brands have used lockdown as an advantage for their collections. Some brands have thought about how the industry can have a reset, and others take a nostalgic route – referencing intimate moments we took for granted. Bregazzi and Thornton are no different this season, like their SS21 collection which was solely based on the arts and craft work of their children, this season becomes a sequel.
The brand’s collection feels like an anecdote and one can imagine, in time the perfect representation for what lockdown is as a collection: “unhinged”. That is what the Thornton Bregazzi family described themselves to be at the second lockdown. This mental state that many relate to is perfectly embodied in a collection of 11 looks. Better still, the process and selection for this collection is different to other collections that have been released; while many aims to introduce new styles in a matter of 30 looks, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi have reflected on the current climate and downscaled the entire collection. Using organic or deconstructed materials from previous collections – one can appreciate the innovation to repurpose and upcycle. Bregazzi and Thornton reflected on the cautions of upcycling previous seasons in few of producing garments that are haphazard, however they were successful.
Interpreting their “unhinged” moment in text is difficult to envision, one would associate the effects of lockdown to be grey and depressing – however by upcycling, the brand has shown our need to live again, albeit in a different shape. Each look is different from another, full of vibrancy and colour – yet it feels safe and secure.
Preen by Thornton Bregazzi have become the perfect example for British excellence in the industry, the resilience and resourcefulness – and not yearning far and wide for inspiration. After witnessing this collection, one has to ask: has the fashion industry actually come to grips with the pandemic?