BRODKA x RESERVED
Courageous, even daring, yet wearable – the limited BRODKA x RESERVED collection is a bold combination of two seemingly opposing styles: extravagance and casual. “We did not impose any limits on ourselves” admit the creators of the collection – and that truly transpires from the grand scale with which they approached the cuts, the original prints or the choice of fabrics with such natural materials as alpaca, wool, silk, organic cotton and environmentally friendly naia and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ standing out in particular.
In the collection, which will be available in stores from 28 September, quilted coats and capes are accompanied by oversize suits, while knitwear in graphic patterns and deconstructed jackets are all vying for attention. As in Brodka’s work – there is no room for clichés. If T-shirts – then embroidered ones; tracksuits – paired with a jumper in abstract print. There are also dresses: both basic and, as their co-author says, spectacular. “My dream was to create clothes that I couldn’t find in stores and that I would love to wear myself” – admits Brodka.
The collection was sewn entirely in Europe, mostly Poland. The artist participated in every stage of its creation, including the selection of particular fabrics. “We started off by defining the general concept, then I created moodboards with my fascinations: from folk references to Moroccan carpets or loose associations related to travels, my adolescence and artistic incarnations that the audience could know me by” – says the artist.
The first result of the work were the stage outfits that appeared in the videos for Brodka’s new album – “Brut”. A suit as if borrowed from a man’s wardrobe,which appeared in the clip for “Game Change”, is a playful take on the convention and a rejection of gender stereotypes. It was included in the final collection in an unchanged form. The grey trench from the “Hey Man” video, in turn, was modified by softening the shoulder line and adding asymmetry.
The inspiration for both the album and the collection was brutalism – an architectural style which triumphed in Poland in the 1960s and 1970s, with hulking structures unceremoniously dominating the surroundings. In the collection, it manifests itself in bold cuts, but also in knitwear details, like in the jumper with a pattern reflecting the rhythm of the windows of dismal edifices. The graphic distinctive feature and flagship print of the collection, in turn, is a direct inspiration from the wave motif present in the artist’s new album and image.
In the rich colour palette, muted oranges and yellows are accompanied by pastel pinks and purples; while browns and maroons have been set against vivid blue by the designers. The black sequence of the collection is “a capsule within a capsule”, as the artist herself calls it, and a nod to her favourite Japanese artists – hence the kimono-inspired elements.
The styles in the collection may be layered and are multifunctional. The coat turns into a vest by way of unfastening the sleeves, trouser legs can be adjusted and fastened with a belt for a narrow or wide effect, while the jacket with geometric cuts can be worn as a blouse and serve as an outer garment. In effect, the collection is multidimensional – also in the literal sense of the word.
It has been given a separate, coherent branding. Exclusively for that purpose, jacquard linings have been created, as well as special buttons, unusual labels and tags – all with a wavy theme.
The latest edition of Reserved collection was accompanied by a photo shoot by Bartek Wieczorek. The setting was the Espai Verd building complex in Valencia. The concrete edifice with lush greenery lurking from it completes the avant-garde character of this unique Reserved proposal for the current season. The author of the styling is Ewelina Gralak and the model – none other than Brodka herself.
The limited BRODKA X RESERVED collection will be available in selected Reserved stores and online at www.reserved.com from 28 September.
Director/Photographer: Bartek Wieczorek @Visual Crafters
DOP: Nikodem Marek
Social media content: Bart Pogoda @Visual Crafters
Styling: Ewelina Gralak
Make up: Wilson
Hair: Michał Bielecki
Set design: Ania Witko
Talent: Brodka @Kayax
Production: Warsaw Creatives
______________________________________________________________________________
LPP is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. For 30 years it has been successfully operating in Poland and abroad, offering its collection in traditional stores already on 25 markets, including in such prestigious capitals as London, Berlin, Tel Aviv or Moscow. LPP SA manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay. As at the end of 2020, the company had a chain of over 1800 stores with the total area of 1.4 million sq.m. The online offer of the brands collections is available on 30 markets. On the basis of a global supply chain, the Polish clothing producer distributes over 259 million pieces of clothing to three continents. LPP plays another important role as it employs nearly 22 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.