Did you know that linen has heat-retaining properties? Designers are including linen in their collections, summer and winter. Here’s how to wear the luxe natural fabric now …
Main featured image via Max Mara.
You may associate linen with breezy summer dresses and blouses. However, it’s a great fabric for cooler weather too because it has heat-retaining properties. Linen’s versatility (through different finishing processes) makes it an exceptional fibre. And even if it does wrinkle easily, we think that’s part of its charm.
Designers are wise to this and are including linen in their collections, summer and winter. On the AW22 and SS23 runways, luxury brands such as Jacquemus, Jil Sander, Max Mara and Chloé proposed many styles in linen.
Emporio Armani, Jacquemus, Max Mara.
On the homefront, NCAD-graduate designer and tailor Anna Buzan takes an unconventional approach to design, making her pieces simultaneously sculptural and glamorous: “Linen is a magical kind of fabric, the more you wear it the more resistant it becomes, the more you wash it, the softer it becomes,” she explains. “My mission is to bring linen back all year. It is comfortable, effortless and beautiful and shouldn’t be stored away until summer – it is a fabric that loves to be lived in.” See her work at www.annabuzan.com.
Anna Buzan.
Jennifer Slattery devotees know she is no stranger to Irish linen. From delicately embroidered napkins and luxurious linen tablecloths with trademark mitred corners, the label now includes super-soft tumble-washed linen shirts and dresses, each piece made in Ireland and sold in her Benburb Street shop in Dublin 7; www.jenniferslattery.com.
Jennifer Slattery.
Last season, Stable of Ireland caused a stir with a classic collection of easy-wear linen trousers, tops and dresses for women. This season it’s all about unisex classically constructed shirts, €180; www.stableofireland.com. Kilkenny-based Anneliese Duffy, creator of the Linen Shirt Company, wants to reinvigorate manufacturing in Ireland especially the Made In Ireland label. She designs beautifully tailored Irish linen shirts in unexpected colourways; from €135; www.linenshirtcompany.ie.
BIG TICKET LINEN
High quality all-year-round natural linen is at the heart of Australian hit-label Zimmermann, whose swoon-worthy gowns, dresses and blouses, even its T-shirts, are made from organic linen. Gabriela Hearst has also reimagined tailored separates through a modern lens: think double-breasted jackets as well as beautiful everyday-wear shirt dresses. Both labels are stocked at Brown Thomas, Dublin.
Grey linen suit, €390; www.cleoprickett.com.
THE MIDDLE GROUND
Australian Alémais clothing is made by skilled artisans who use natural linen and traditional techniques passed down through generations. The result is consistently joyful designs. At Seagreen; www.seagreen.com. Irish designer Cleo Prickett makes expertly cut year-round linen suits, kimono shirts and tailored trousers. Prices start at €99; www.cleoprickett.com.
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Take linen into your daily wardrobe. No one on the high street does minimal luxe quite as well as sister brands Cos and Arket (online only), and, in keeping with minimalistic tradition, their linen doesn’t disappoint. www.cos.com; www.arket.com.
Ecru linen jacket, €150; matching waistcoat, €89; matching trousers, €115; all at Cos, 6-8 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2.
