ELIO SUMMER-21 COLLECTION

 

  

 

Elio means ‘Sun god’ - it is a sunny, spirited Italian/Spanish boy's name.

 

In this collection, Meg Taljaard explores themes around the beauty of summer brilliance, enthusiasm, energy, momentum, versatility, self exploration and above all, freedom.

During the lockdown, Meg re-watched a list of favorite films, mainly the psychological thriller The Talented Mr Ripley (1999), one of the most stylish motion pictures of the 20th century. 

Set along the scenic Italian coast, the film is the ultimate inspiration for effortless, carefree summer style. While wrestling with cabin fever and the reality of travel restrictions, so began the fantasy about holidaying along the Amalfi coast. 

Craving her own adventure, Meg started thinking about the one-of-a-kind coastlines South Africa has to offer. Dreams of a coastal road trip led to one of Cape Town's greatest tourist attractions - the iconic Chapman's Peak Drive, both a breathtaking stretch of coastline and an engineering marvel. 

 

The colour palette, draws inspiration from the warm rocky terrain to soft and earthy neutrals. And so, the first seeds of ELIO were sown. 

Meg wanted to design a contemporary summer collection that drew influence from the cinematic energy of the film The Talented Mr Ripley. The effortless, summer-resort style depicted in the film but with more of a 90’s style influence because that was when the film was released, with a star studded cast including five of the era’s most talented actors: Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Cate Blanchett and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. 

Many of the pieces in the collection draw influence from the character’s wardrobes, for example, the tennis blouse and tailored trousers are modeled off Dickie Greenleaf’s retro style, but with a feminine twist. 

Taking a look at the film’s release era for inspiration and Meg revisited one of her favorite collections of all time. The iconic Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 1994 show came to define 90's fashion in a genre-defining way.

It was largely a collection of layered slip dresses with lingerie shining through in neutral and monotones, accented by contrasts of black. It celebrated pure shapes and simple silhouettes that emphasized proportion. The collection was bare, minimal and above all modern, but with an edge. The mini dresses in the new collection are a personal ode to this iconic show which has greatly influenced my design aesthetic. 

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