There’s been a wave of self-reflection in the House of Holland. Over the last few seasons, Henry Holland has shifted his focus towards trans-seasonal staples to satisfy the evolving tastes of his vivacious customer. That introspection was thrown into sharp relief with a strategic and streamlined offering for Resort. It seems to have had a liberating effect on the 35-year-old designer, whose conversation flitted from his impending winter nuptials to a new collaboration with the stationer Papier to the digital sunrise that’s projected through the smog on Tiananmen Square. “Put it this way,” he said of his brand DNA. “My woman doesn’t want to dress like a pirate one minute and a witch the next.” Not that there wasn’t an anchoring theme here: The starting point for Holland’s still-colorful vision was London’s Laundromats. Holland riffed on these cultural melting pots with magenta hoodies with “Clean” emblazoned on the front and “Dirty” on the back in a squishy bubblegum type, and others that were graphically embroidered with washing instruction symbols that read: “Handle With Care.” The now-ubiquitous laundry-bag check inspired a set of paper-yarn woven blazers, wrap skirts, and knits, which were set off by a brilliant pair of python boots.
Three is Holland’s new magic number. So a denim jacket emerged in a trio of iterations: one collarless and frayed-edge in ombré, another adorned with eyelets and dangling strips of taping, and a third ornamented with black toile. A foray into eveningwear saw tiered, ruffled dresses in fuchsia, primrose, and black in a sporty ripstop fabrication that had a youthful, easy feel. Polka dots were given a textural take, woven onto slinky striped pajama sets that again put the emphasis on comfort. He has also developed a clever capsule of superbright suiting that comes in every color of the rainbow flag. The cigarette or wide-leg trousers can be worn with an open blazer that’s single-breasted, or tied with a kimono-style belt. A quarter of proceeds go to the Albert Kennedy Trust, which works with LGBT youths who are at risk of homelessness. In an industry set on ever-shifting sands, Holland is smart to temper the fun with a note of pride that feels true to his core ethos.
