Wedding bells have been ringing at AnOther HQ: Sunday marked the anniversary of the royal wedding and editor Nancy Waters recently returned from her honeymoon after getting married just over a month ago. Fittingly, commissioning editor Laura
Wedding bells have been ringing at AnOther HQ: Sunday marked the one year anniversary of the royal wedding and editor Nancy Waters recently returned from her honeymoon after getting married just over a month ago. Fittingly, commissioning editor Laura Bradley’s Jil Sander S/S12 dress also scored Most Loved on the AnOther Loves stream this week.
Featured in Simons’ second to last offering for the label, the Jil Sander S/S12 collection was lauded for its simplistic lines, demurely cut silhouettes and well-constructed looks. Sparking the current paisley trend and resurgence of beanies, it was Simons’ take on the purity of bridal attire that received the most recognition. Taking what he refers to as “the ultimate Jil Sander item”, Simons reinterpreted the white cotton shirt into various guises: shirt dresses, tailored jackets through ball gowns, with Bradley’s particular dress closing the show amongst a line-up of four white finale gowns. An unexpected focus for ready-to-wear, bridal attire also appeared at Comme des Garçons. For S/S12 Rei Kawakubo created an entirely white collection of ceremonial dresses which also hinted at 1950s and 60s couture. In stark contrast to the pristine minimalism of the Jil Sander gowns, Comme des Garçons’ pieces were teamed with sculptural headwear.
Here, we speak to Bradley about all things white and weddings…
Why did you choose to Love this Jil Sander S/S12 dress?
It's brilliantly modern – I love the collar, the crisp bow and the pockets. Raf Simons is one of the most important and interesting designers working today. This collection was one of his strongest, cited by Simons as the "final instalment to his couture trilogy". There were so many iconic pieces – the veiled beanie, the crystal accessories, the paisley prints dresses, the Picasso-inspired knits. The collection – standout for its measured elegance and grace – is interesting to think about in the context of Simons' appointment at Dior and his upcoming couture collection. Wedding dresses have always been a key closing look in the history of couture. It's really exciting to see designers that you wouldn't normally associate with bridalwear to take up the challenge – I really enjoyed Tao's beautiful paper wedding dresses for S/S07.
If you owned it where and when you wear it and what would you team it with?
Those brilliant paisley crystal earrings.
Who else do you think could work this look and why?
There were a lot of blonde haired girls in the show with hair and make-up that made reference to Grace Kelly. I'd like to see this dress on a strong, black-haired woman with a few piercings. Somene like Jamie Bochart. I love that pure/tough contradiction.
Who are your bride style icons?
Grace Kelly; Lauren Bacall; Bianca Jagger; Mia Farrow; Bridget Bardot and Audrey Hepburn. And AnOther's Katie Shillingford and Nancy Waters who looked beautiful in their respective Gareth Pugh and Alexander McQueen dresses in August last year and March this year..
When you get married what would you like to wear?
Bespoke Raf Simons for Dior dress for day, bespoke Azzedine Alaïa for the evening.
White had a strong presence throughout the S/S12 collections – are you a fan of the colour and what are your favourite white garments?
It's very important to have a strong white shirt in ones wardrobe – Céline, Jil Sander and Comme des Garçons do very good versions. I'd also love to own a white Maison Martin Margiela house coat – the ones the staff wear.
This Jil Sander dress is from Raf Simon’s second to last collection at the helm – what have been your favourite Raf Simons for Jil Sander moments?
There are so many. From the collections: his S/S07 collection was standout, the use of colour, beautifully simple short-sleeve shirts and graphic cut-out wedges; the black on navy fringed pieces and the Damiani earrings from S/S09; the green and black cable-knit jumper from A/W11. I have these and I love them. And then there's the campaigns courtesy of Willy Vanderperre and Olivier Rizzo, the soundtrack and the clever artist collaborations, in particular the breathtaking flower arrangements created by Mark Colle for Simons' finale show. I've also really enjoyed the interviews Simons has given throughout his tenure at Jil Sander, particularly those with Cathy Horyn. One of the most memorable, a touching and intimate portait of the designer printed in The New York Times in September 2005, simply entitled "Raf": "Although a number of writers have ascribed Simons' powers to intellect, he actually embodies a different quality. He looks at everything very simply and directly."
Text by Lucia Davies
