“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” – Anaïs Nin
Presenting HOPE Spring/Summer 2021 – a distorted collage of ideas unraveling, entangling, twisting the perspectives of one’s self and its surroundings. The theme for the collection is the process of anamorphosis – the art of inverted imagery and the construction of the ‘gaze’. Anamorphosis; ana‐, meaning “back” or “again”, and morphe, meaning “shape” or “form”, where a deformed image appears in its true shape when viewed in an unconventional way.
“I’ve always been drawn to people’s different personas. I find it fascinating. And expressing these personas through clothing is the most beautiful thing to me. Fashion is and will always be a voyage of self-discovery”, says Frida Bard, Creative Director of HOPE.
The Spring/Summer collection celebrates the unconventional, unpolished and imperfect – the postmodern facets of society that people oftentimes try to evade. The summer scenery is not your picture-perfect postcard. It’s hot. It’s dry. It’s moist.
“When creating this collection the late controversial feminist author Anaïs Nin came to mind. People like to think that seeing is some kind of ‘direct’ perception of reality, but really it’s not. For example, in my opinion, there’s nothing crisp about summer. It’s a greasy beachy sea life experience”, says Frida Bard.
By infusing high-shines, transparent cerise, wrinkled, and crushed linen fabrics – the Spring/Summer collection dresses to perfect and imperfect the restless summer spirit. The focus is on functionality within the realm of playfulness. A shirt with a removable scrunchie and vests cut like stripped lifejackets. Draped, high-waisted trousers with a soft and sensual feel and double-breasted blazers, low in cut with big shoulders. Garments are generous in shape and can be adjusted to all types of bodies –playing with drawstrings, zips, ties, and knots that can be used to create new shapes.
The heroines this season are the colorways – baby blue, beige and off–white, cerise accents along with pepita checks in yellow and deep green. Fabrics include FSC-certified viscose, lyocell, and linen. The collection is vital, bold and disarmingly honest as Creative Director Frida Bard and her design team has gone for the pure and sustainable styles – to be altered and worn for summers yet to come
