Behind the scenes: rainy season 2016
Hannah Flor is Artistic Director of 180 GRADOS. In addition to other things, she is in charge of the design and pattern making of the brand's garments. He was an apprentice to the respected French pattern maker Nicolas Caito and, among his many works, the ones he did in New York for the Werkstatt company and for the brands Wayne, Edun and Alexander Wang stand out. As a preview before the launch, here he tells us all the details behind from this summer's collection.
“I'm from Alaska, I grew up in the temperate forest area, where it rains all the time. It's super nice and green, but it always rains. So the rain reminds me of part of my youth, although I didn't always enjoy it as much. For me the rainy season was all year round. When it rains I want to wear something super comfortable, I want to have tea. I see it as an excuse to dress a little more comfortably and relaxed, or if I have to go out I wear my boots and my hat. I've always been interested in fashion, but when I'm in Alaska I dress super casual and I think it's really an excuse not to walk around in heels and makeup. When it rains, no one wants to be taking care of their long skirt because it's all wet.
What inspires the collection
When I started thinking about what to do for this season, I started thinking about spending the days at my parents' house in Alaska; all the garments in the collection tend towards that. I thought: what do you want to wear when it rains? Obviously slippers, pants and sweatshirt. So how can I make that more interesting?
The idea that you can always feel comfortable without wearing something cheap or sloppy is part of 180 GRADOS' DNA. When I design, what I'm always looking for is some kind of trick: how can I make this feel almost like pajamas, but from the outside look cute and interesting? Something subtle, but that shows that you think about what you wear.
The materials
We chose some fabrics that are very soft and pretty. The designs have something special, but without a doubt we chose the most comfortable fabrics. Even if you're wearing the shirt hidden under a sweatshirt, you'll feel the softness. The fabrics that I like the most are almost always natural, or some blend, such as polyester with cotton or rayon with polyester. I always look for fibers that have something natural, because they are of better quality and have several advantages: they do not retain odors and are always softer.
Colors
I always like to have some neutral options and some more colorful ones. In this collection we have grey, which is a much better neutral than black and brown. Gray is nice and looks good with everything, it highlights the colors. Another color is blue, which is not neutral, but works as one, it is not a strong color. We also have pink and some striped clothes that add a fun touch.
To wear the clothes
This is a collection of t-shirts and sweatshirts. I imagine using them for everything. You can wear them with jeans when you get home because they are very comfortable. Although the shirts are simple, they make you look good, and they fit very well. Since they are basic, they can be used with something crazier as a lower part; I would wear them with black leather pants, or gold pants. When the shirt is cut well, it can be worn with anything. It is important to have shirts like this in your wardrobe to give it balance.
A little history
We must not forget that the t-shirts are the garment with which 180 GRADOS began. We have opened our horizons to all types of garments, we like to explore what we can do, but in this collection we are going back to the beginning a little. We have to take advantage of the base we have in making t-shirts, for which we are known. People always come looking for those famous t-shirts they bought at 180º SHOP three years ago. Obviously we no longer have them, but you will be able to continue buying your favorite t-shirts with us.
As an extra I can say that I have been looking for tricks to find the perfect t-shirt, because there always seem to be problems with them; They have excess fabric from somewhere or they are very flat. I think I've finally managed to make a t-shirt, especially for women, that follows the body instead of falling on it. It makes any body look great, without being tight. It gives shape and is comfortable at the same time, with it you can say that wearing a shirt does not mean giving up grooming and looking good.”
Don't miss the launch of the 2016 rainy season collection, exclusively at 180º SHOP.