This season is all about colour blocking and making a statement with the brightest of brights, fluoro, neon and clashing them (artfully) together.
It might be the middle of winter, but a splash of colour could be just the thing to remedy those `brrrrr’ blues.
Make your all-black ensemble pop with bright yellow or orange leather gloves, or an oversized handbag in sky blue to put the spring back in your step.
Sandra Mitich of Willows in Bloom accessories loves colour and her exquisite range covers the entire spectrum with red, purple, lemon yellow, pistachio green and royal blue.
She sources new brands and accessories designers from her frequent trips back to Serbia and it’s there she discovered the hand-made leather gloves by Serbian accessories designer Evica Milovanov-Penezic which are now preferred by the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
“I have always loved wearing things that on one else has, clothes, accessories, shoes,” she says. “I love all arts and have often described myself as art consumer, since I do not have the talent to create, I do have a skill to appreciate. Willows in Bloom accessories are wearable art and that gives me opportunity to combine two passions that I have – wearing unique items that stand out and at the same time admire artistry that made them.”
We spoke to Sandra on the key colours and trends for the spring season and the ethical story behind her company before she shows at the Bags & Accessories Fair next month from August 28-30 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.
What are the key looks, colours and styles for this season?
Gloves are a must-have item, you can see them everywhere and the design is becoming more bold and interesting. There is no reason not to wear them all year round, with a wide range of designs available. Use them to add a splash of colour even when wearing the usual black. Red, purple, royal blue, lemon yellow, pistachio green, anything goes.
Larger bags are now a way to go, especially for business women who need to fit all their personal things and a laptop in their bags. Different shades of browns and greens are a good choice, with red and orange for bolder look.
To achieve a fresh look combine light browns and creams or wonderful purple-blue colours with touch of red. Add a strong piece of jewelry and a coat or jacket with wide collar, take a good-sized bag and a pair of gloves that say “confidence”.
Tell me about the quality, the leather and the craftsmanship?
Jewelry is made of copper, then gold or silver-plated. Nevena, a young artist making them is well-recognised in her country and her pieces are shown regularly in various art and museum exhibitions.
She handcrafts each piece herself or with co-operation from small art groups she works with.
The bags are hand-made made from high quality leather, some combined with weaving made by crafts women who are still keeping this ancient technique alive.
Sandra, who studied textile design in the UK, worked with a group of women organized through Oxfam that use techniques of weaving, crocheting and sawing to produce these and other unique designs based on traditional motives and at the same time support their families.
The craft of making gloves was almost lost when accessories designer Evica Milovanov-Penezic took a small group of people under her wing who were struggling to keep their work alive. Each glove is made from a same piece of leather by one person, and every stitch and cut is done by hand. Evica tells an interesting story about her leather supplier, a large manufacturer from Italy. When she first met him and asked if he would provide her with leather she needs for her gloves, he said no, that the volume was too small. Evica smiled and gave a pair to his wife, as a gift. Two days later, she received a phone call saying he was happy to provide her with the leather she needs, `my wife made me’, he said.
The clothes suppliers we work with at Willows in Bloom are all relatively small companies, about 150-200 people, three of them led by women who started their brands from nothing, in a very difficult economic environment and built businesses recognised throughout Europe.
All of them support very small in-house craft groups that provide unique services – small business’ of 3-5 family members that make buttons, bags and knitted products, etc.
What gap in the market do you think your product fills?
Willows in Bloom is not for women of a particular age, position or financial status – it is for a woman who values her individuality and has confidence to show it off, that appreciates quality and exclusivity but also wants fashion to be accessible and affordable.
Our accessories are perfect way to show off that individuality – wearing a bag, gloves, scarf or jewelry that someone made with passion and love will make any woman feel special and unique.
What do you hope to gain by exhibiting at the show?
Fashion Exposed will give us an opportunity to showcase these amazing designs to the Fashion Industry and hopefully generate interest for the fashion coming from this, less known part of Europe.
To see more from this exciting range, visit www.willowsinbloom.com.au and register to visit their stand at Bags & Accessories Fair from August 28-30 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre here.