METEORITE DREAM...

When I first saw the autumn/winter '11 Family Affairs collection back in February before I wrote the press release for it, I got that witch vibes feeling and felt really, really excited. To me it's a new direction that I love and can't wait to wear. (SS12 continues the direction and is on fire - but that's top secret for now). I mean, I loved every collection before, but this one has rocket boosters - fittingly - as the collection is called Meteorite Dream. Below are some images from the lookbook, which was fantastically shot by Turned Out's Maya Villiger - and the press text, written by me...

Meteorite Dream, the Fall/Winter 11 collection from Toujours Toi – Family Affairs is about the wearer. In many respects it is a breakthrough in the evolution of Family Affairs; reflecting an internal shift towards a new kind of youthful maturity. The designer Nina Egli started by thinking of what she wanted to wear and live in and what her friends would want to wear and treasure. Stripped bare and minimal, all the inspirations and poetry are still there, but abstracted and pushed forward into something new. Every piece is true to this idea of living your life in the clothes.

Runaway Jacket

London is a strong inspiration: Misty mornings, the paper cut shapes of winter tree branches at dawn, walking home in the Thames jacket looking forward to a hot cup of English breakfast tea and biscuits. Walks on ice cold beaches in Scotland, wrapped up in the heavy navy wool Raphael coat clutching a book of Celtic fairytales, inspired by the depth and devotion of Raphael’s paintings. On moonless nights, curled up in a cosy nook on a velvet couch wearing the blue checked Normandie skirt, dreaming of the dry grasses of Normandy: horse riding, roasting chestnuts on the fire. Reading Baudelaire and William Blake in the Golden Letter skirt with a cat curled up beside you, antique persian rugs layered underfoot. Thinking about the Brontë sisters writing poetry in a distant house in the silk velvet Brontë dress. Returning to faraway childhood dreams with the lurex striped Million Miles dresses and the Finding Nemo blue of the Dreamland jacket.

Claire Shirt - oh yeah that was the other really exciting thing! Thank you Nina, that was the best thing that happened to me all year...

The shapes are elegant and minimal, without need of much adornment. Colors are strong, not muted, but elegant. The fabrics have been chosen to give texture and character to each piece: lurex stripes, tiny white stars printed on navy voile, the depth of navy wool, blue wool checks, black silk velvet, red and green cotton tartan, tobacco wool, red and blue wool checks, navy satin, deep blue chenille, simple gold buttons.

Raphael Coat

{Family Affairs is available online where there's a list of stores that carry it. It's also now stocked at Opening Ceremony in NY and LA.}