all images sosume lookbook, click to enlarge for details
My style is so schizophrenic I should be committed. I love me a good print, and I have my fair share of weird and wacky things in my wardrobe (my sheer flower shirt and calf length structured checked skirt are two of them that are in constant rotation) but then i also have a deep-seated love of simple, luxurious basics. I think that the contrast between, say, a floral embroidered purple swing coat with the clean lines of the most beautiful grey tee shirt can be marvelous to behold.
Which is why i got excited when I saw the lookbook for Sosume's new range in my inbox. Exactly the kind of building blocks for my wardrobe - the draping was perfect, the material ever so slightly sheer giving just that hint of sexiness (something the olsen twins pioneered), the cuts were long and flattering. God, i'd like 2 of everything if possible, even those harem pants (and i'm still not 100% sold on the whole harem pant thing. I dabbled, and they've been reserved for the odd yoga trip only. i feel they're not quite the thing for my body). But if Sosume is making it, i want it.
I may not be one for minimalism in the manner of black-clad fashion editors and hipsters. I have a friend who is just like that, dresses in all manner of black bodycon skirts and grey cropped tees with gladiator sandals and a long line blazer. She looks fabulous and fierce all the time. But then, she is a real minimalist in all areas of her life, her apartment is white and clear, her favourite perfume is one by issey miyake (which, i think, doesn't actually smell of anything at all which i think kind of defeats the purpose of perfume, really). Personally i like to be a little more haphazard - I would pair that cropped blazer with my mustard circle skirt, espadrilles and armloads of indian style bangles. The beautiful tailored structuralism would clash so well with the eclecticism of the rest of the outfit. A real statement.
And there is something to be said for simplicity. For me, adopting minimalistic elements into my wardrobe is like creating the calm before the storm. There is a quiet yet powerful beauty in clean lines and neutral colours. They are unassuming, but never underwhelming. One of my friends bemoaned the fact that street style websites frequently show shots of 'the perfect tee shirt' or 'so simple, so good' where the girl is wearing tapered pants and a draped top and that's all. 'It's boring,' she said to me, 'street style websites should be artistic and inspiring.' I don't agree, i think that style is style, the beauty of the beast is that it can come in the form of rodarte or rick owens, vivienne westwood or vanessa bruno. The minimalist can often be just as beautiful as the artistic, it can even be just as artistic. I'm sure the many designers from Sosume (1 from Sydney, 1 from melbourne and 2 from New York) would agree.
And all this quiet, understated luxury comes with an added bonus - it's eco friendly. The micro modal fabric uses a tenth of the water used in cotton production and is sourced from beech tree wood pulp. 'Sublimely soft' the press release says, and after receiving it i trotted off to a sydney stockist to see for myself. I think 'ridiculously soft' would be an even better label. It's so soft it should be illegal. You can comfort your body with these delicious threads as well as ease your mind with the fact that they didn't cost the planet as much as scratchy old cotton.
There's a little wait for simplicity - the range won't be in store till February 2010. But i'm sure it will be worth it. The collection will be available online at www.sosume.com and at various australian and new zealand stockists (lucky us) including tuchuzy in bondi, one of my favourite beachy stores for a lazy sunday perusal.
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