Cutting down is working for Bianca Saunders.
For her 2022 spring collection, which won her the ANDAM Fashion Prize, the designer stripped back all the tricks and focused on the elements Saunders wants to define the brand.
“I had a look at all my previous seasons, and saw what has been selling really well, and what part of the design I enjoyed the most, which are experimentation in cutting and perfecting patterns,” Saunders said over a Zoom call.
The collection felt clean, focused and demonstrated a good range of offerings, from casual to formal, and something in between.
A good example is the structured ISKO denim jacket worn by one of her cousins in the look book. She completed the look with a pair of open-seam trousers and a newly introduced shape-shifting cotton tote bag, which comes in three sizes, supported by a hidden wire construction inside.
“That jacket and trousers are one of my bestsellers. Previously I did the jacket in fall 2020 in splashed denim, but when I saw it in blue, I was, like, ‘Wow. It’s completely different.’ I spent some time tweaking the pattern because it wasn’t exactly right. I made it boxier and more structured.…I like things staying in an exact position. Looking pressed,” she said.
Another standout look is the blushed suit cut with her signature rolled shoulder detail, showcased by her brother, who had the same braided hairdo as the designer, as it was all done by their beautician mother.
The overall faded color palettes of the collection were inspired by photos of her family that her mother took when she went to Jamaica at the age of 18. The way those muscular Jamaican men stretched the garments in those pictures also inspired her to develop patterns that mimic the distortion of fabric on the muscular bodies, such as the distorted cotton check look worn by her uncle in the look book.
Speaking of a family business, Saunders said she will convince her father to be a model for next season.
