Kit Neale MS16 (27)For Spring/Summer 2016, KIT NEALE draws influence from obsessive collecting and the purpose of objects through an exploration of British Car Boot Sales, flea markets and thrift stores.

The collection explores the life-journey of mass-produced memorabilia and popular collectables to one-of-a-kind curiosities, rare artefacts and clothing as KIT NEALE questions the purpose of consumerism and how we emotively connect with objects and possessions.

This collection is an insight into the personal inspirations, influences, and motives as Kit questions the reason to design clothing and the principles of fashion, art and culture:

“I’m a bit of an obsessive hoarder and I love a car boot sale. I love the story objects can tell and how a once treasured item becomes a piece of junk to someone but re-enters the trade cycle and create some kind of new enjoyment or pleasure to someone else. I love that feeling of finding a piece of clothing in a thrift store, that jacket or jumper which feels just perfect, but costs a fiver! This season I really wanted to question why I am designing and why we create and produce clothing. We questioned what the intent is for producing an item of clothing, if ultimately it is going to be thrown in landfill. I think for any designer the goal is to create an object that brings a sense of joy and can be admired, and to be able to have fun, freedom and expression, which this season we worked hard to achieve. I would love to one day discover a piece of KIT NEALE in a car boot!’

The Spring/Summer 2016 collection includes hand drawn characters created in partnership with Kit’s partner and collaborator Caspar Hodgson. These are printed and embellished across satins and silks. The jacquards are reminiscent of furnishing fabrics and the oversized relaxed silhouette is a nod to British subcultures which fuse thrift shop findings to style. Artistic references include Peter Blake, Jeff Koons, Grayson Perry and Martin Wong.

Photos courtesy of Kit Neale

 

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