The Inspiration Behind The SS21 Collection

By Louise Reynolds, Creative Director at Traffic People

Who could have guessed last January as I browsed for fabrics, buttons and trims what lay ahead of us? I shopped with my head full of ideas for festivals, holidays and lazy days full of laughter in the sun. I bloody love summer – its so deserving of bold prints, strong colours and of course the obligatory sequin. Thoughts of 70s fearless fashion inspired me, an era defined by liberation and sexual revolution, the fights for women and gay rights and the hippie subculture. Photo shoots by Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, Jack Garofalo and Al Vandenberg swirled in my head. It was all going to be so fabulous!

Then boom. It has been particularly hard these last couple of months to think we will ever wear anything other than leggings again. There has of course been the odd zoom call where I have dusted off a sequin jacket (and even managed to brush my hair) and even the odd morning where I have wafted round my house in a kaftan unleashing my inner Gloria Swanson but they have been few and far between.

However the news is suddenly sounding a little more upbeat and when I look at the clothes hanging in the showroom rather than wondering if they will ever be worn, I am optimistic we will be soon be dressing up, meeting friends and hope beyond hope even going on a summer holiday. So as soon as I see the first daffodil I'm going to pull out my And the Gods Smile kaftan, pour myself a cocktail and blare out As if We Never Said Goodbye.