Cecilie Bahnsen ́s Spring Summer 2022 collection is a celebration of the love for craftsmanship and the duality of femininity. The most practiced and technically refined collection to date, brought to life through Cecilie ́s artistic collaboration -a sound installation composed by Okay Kaya and photo exhibition by Takashi Homma on view in Paris. The collection and artistic collaborations address the duality within us expressed through an exterior detachment and the gentleness in the sensuality of emotions, “To be both,” the ability to not “Be” only what we feel. The duality is present throughout the collection, film, and exhibition. The result is an emotional collection that celebrates Cecilie and the atelier ́s love for the work, featuring new techniques like the utterly beauti- ful camellia floral cutout-flowers fluttering on fabric, as if the petals were falling gently to the ground from a full bouquet.
Exhibited amongst the SS22 collection is the gentleness of imperfection, the poetry of asymmetry. Beautiful drapes tucked up on one side, an idea coming from the morning bike rides tying the skirts out of the way with an untethered bow. Looking at Calder ́s mobiles, “Drawings in space,” the uncanny perfect balance of the graceful forms and translating this to the sculptural silhouettes, evolving from previous seasons. Not trying to control the space the garment inhabits, but celebrating the every-day elements, the movement, the electricity of how it feels when you put the piece on, brought to life with couture craftsmanship. The idea of making a collection you want to live in and dream in- to make your own.
The conceptual motifs play a pivotal role in the collection, translated meticulously across the different fabrics. Textures completely unique, a touch only recognizable as Cecilie Bahnsen. Discreet tonal embroidery inspired by the Victorian style of cyanotype printing, the negative space creating an elevated texture.
Drawing on the expertise of true craftsman, Cecilie continues her ongoing collaboration with Mackintosh, bringing a superfeminine approach to the masculine utilitarian function of the British heritage brand’s outerwear. For the first time, in partnership with Japanese heritage brand Chacoli, Cecilie has created a bag. The seemingly simple concept of a structural shell tote bag but crafted to withhold the test of time, functional and utilitarian the eponymous masculine contrast to the collection. New this season, after several col- laborations, Cecilie has created her own shoes, inspired by the outdoor mountaineering forms, embellished with signature fabric detailing and embroidered flower beading.
Cecilie has had bright red on her moodboard, playing with its power and romanticism but waiting until she developed the “Perfect” shade and complimenting touch, it became a part of the collection organically, expanding the brands colour vocabulary. “I really think there is a strength and attitude to colour, it really holds the dress.” A colour palette embracing “Where we are”- relishing in a time of chaos that allows for new identities and ways of working to flow.
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