Are you ready for Kamiseta x Liberty?
Sometime last week I was having dinner at the Frazzled Cook with a bunch of creative people including this writer, furniture, fashion, jewelry and accessory designers, a milliner, a chef and a Japanese boutique owner. There were 10 of us.
The topic shifted to Liberty of London. It turns out 60 percent of us knew what it was while the 40 percent did not.
“Is it a rock band?” the jeweler said.
“Is it a movie?” another asked.
I have posh memories of Liberty of London. My brother who was studying at London Business School more than 10 years ago had taken me there in search of a fashion-forward designer called Jessica Ogden.
Liberty was where I had bought Margiela powder puff pins on sale and it was on my way there that my camera was snatched from my handbag.
Liberty of London opened in 1875 on Regent Street in Central London. Besides stocking very important labels in the fashion industry, Liberty is more known for its fabrics, which have been used by top brands like Paul Smith, APC, and even Hermès.
Liberty fabrics are so iconic that in Italy it is known as “stile Liberty” after the London shop.
Currently they’re enjoying a highly successful collaboration with the giant American chain Target, and this April it launched its collaboration with Fred Perry’s high-end range, Blank Canvas.
The biggest surprise is its collaboration with Philippine retail giant Kamiseta.
Kamiseta CEO and president Gunn Roque said they had been waiting for the right time to introduce Liberty to the Philippine market. “Liberty is all about tender palettes, characterized by beautiful flower designs that detail movements. We believe its prints are very fashionable and fit for Kamiseta now.”
The Kamiseta x Liberty line will be out in stores today, May 2, as part of Kamiseta’s limited line but will be distinguished by a purple velvet ribbon on the hangers.
A Liberty label will be sewn under the Kamiseta label, while a purple velvet tab will be attached the side seams.
Blouses and dresses featuring the Liberty prints are priced from P1,999 up.
All the pieces were designed by Kamiseta with approval from Liberty of London, Roque said. “They did their research and liked our style. When we sent our collection to them they approved it right away. Even the Liberty labels and hangtags were flown in from London. I guess they appreciate that we value their heritage and trust that we will represent their fabrics in the best possible way.”
Together with the launch of this exciting collaboration will be an ad campaign and new billboards featuring Natalia Vodianova photographed by Caroline Schiff.
Besides being the first Philippine label to be endorsed by Hollywood stars such as Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman and Kate Hudson, and models Petra Nemcova and Natalia Vodianova, Kamiseta will also be the local label to use branded fabrics in the Philippines.
The question is, are Filipinos ready for Liberty?
Roque says he believes “Filipino women are among the best dressers” out there. “I have spoken to a number of foreign brands that say it’s a tough market for them in the Philippines because the local brands are so dynamic. Of course you will have people who don’t have a clue about quality and style. But those who do know, they will definitely be ready for Liberty.”
Kamiseta x Liberty will also be available online. For store locations and more information go to http://www.kamiseta.com.
