Crafted from handwoven silk produced in West Bengal, Zephyr engages with the politics of visibility, flow and structure. The title, Zephyr, references the west wind in classical mythology—specifically the one that carries Venus ashore in Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. In this particular context, we explore wind, as a causal force, conversing about external agents and their effects on individual autonomy.
The textile of Zephyr is entirely handwoven and deliberately lightweight whilst being structurally articulate, with the silhouette & architectural draping taking from the mental images arisen - if air was visually representative, how would it react in the wind. Zephyr is built to resist ornamental femininity, instead prioritizing spatial negotiation—how the body moves through, hides within, or is exposed by cloth. Zephyr presents with a high-collar setting for the same reason, with a secondary collar frill inspired by the lace ruffs worn in Tudor courts. Floor length, the hem of Zephyr is dual layered, to add movement and interest to the surface. The form resists conventional tailoring, opting instead for a sculptural drape that interacts dynamically with the wearer’s movement.
A hand-twisted appliqué in ivory cotton traverses the chest, functioning as both a visual intervention and a disruption of the cape’s otherwise uninterrupted flow. With braids woven within the draping, we trace back to the sanctity that hair presents in womanhood, putting a magnified lens upon the act of braiding as a representative testament to nurturing. This remaining part of the intervention can be read as a topographic gesture, referencing natural contours or a visceral mapping of wind paths.
Colourway: Soft Silver & Ivory.
Fit: Floor Length. Flared.
Fabric Composition:
100% Handwoven Silk
Cotton Chiffon
dry clean only
