The Stefanel Lookbook: Spring 2013

Stefanel. One of my all-time favourite designers. Every season I find myself fawning over his creations and this spring was no exception.

Soft shirts, trousers, cardigans and jackets pervade the collection which showcases simplistic essentials that never seem to go out of fashion. A classic aesthetic is created through the contrast of casual and elegant, combining khaki pants with a knitted sweater in one shot or gladiator sandals and a silk shirt in another. The palette consists of neutral tones of taupe grey, beige and white. The subtle tonality that differentiates the individual pieces from each other only enhances the delicate elegance of the clothing.

Unlike many designers of today, the clothes of Stefanel never seem excessive or OTT. In observing them, not once does the thought cross our mind where on earth we could wear them. This is because Stefanel's aim is not to push the boundaries of contemporary fashion to its breaking point. Nor is it to showcase extravagance which leaves poor souls such and you and I scratching our heads in wonderment at the fantasticality of his creations. No, his muse is simply the real woman; the weekly shopper, the business executive, the stay-at-home mum, the winer-and-diner. His clothes convey the message that no woman is unworthy of his creations and that all women have a right to feel beautiful. And his aim; to turn her into a vision. A vision, that is, all'italiana.