After gallivanting around Sydney, we're back to the business of what's going on in this fair city. It's still a little chilly for a start. I'm brought back down to earth with our pebbles, greying sands, white skies and murky waters that of course are far far removed from the Bondi Beach I've been lapping up this past week. How? Through 1205's A/W 10-11 lookbook images. The other half has been investigating this fairly new label quite thoroughly in my absence... visiting the store in Kingly Court, interviewing the designer and getting our friend to try on some of the A/W 10-11 pieces. The label name 1205 is derived from designer Paula Gerbase's birthday. Gerbase is a CSM BA womenswear alumna who has worked for people like Alistair Carr and Gareth Pugh before going onto a Savile Row tract and training at Hardy Amies and then going on to work with then creative director of Kilgour Carlo Brandelli and eventually becoming head designer.
So it's with this mixed design background that Gerbase gestated 1205, a label born out of wanting to return to her sensibility as a womenswear designer without losing all of her menswear training. And so, we find ourselves with a new unisex, 100% Made in England (mostly in London to be exact...) label on the block that also is lucky enough to have its own store (in Kingly Court) whilst only have produced two collections. The first S/S 10 collection has more feminine leanings with pieces that are wholly unisex and some that are of course female-intended only - see printed silk chiffon dresses...
Love these watercolour sketches by Gerbase...
However, when we turn to the A/W 10-11 collection, a tailoring-focused collection where exacting cuts and utmost care in fabric selection (Harris tweed, knits, jerseys...) reign supreme, suddenly we are presented with a wholly unisex proposition. I think aaaaages ago, when a slew of 'unisex' brands that came flooding out, I pondered whether 'unisex' could go beyond shapeless tees and oversized tunics...
I think Gerbase has proved with this collection that with differing sizes, a singular fit in peacoats, twinsets, suiting and jackets can be applied to fit both men and women.
In the lookbook, Gerbase chose to show the clothes on a woman but in person on a rail, the thinking is that men and women will have a go at trying the pieces on... I haven't yet seen them in person but I'm fairly confident that both Steve and I can share certain pieces or at least buy the same style in two different sizes. We've yet to do the 100% matching outfit thing and 1205 is probably the most tasteful option. I'll have to go and investigate the matters of sizing to find out exactly the full on unisex potential of the pieces...
Without sounding too obvious, I'm especially reminded of the formative bits of Coco Avant Chanel where she takes to mens clothes with gusto, eschewing dresses resembling birthday cakes and cutting out any frill and lace. Except in the case of 1205's collection, there's probably no need to hack away at the clothes or belt them up tightly as young Coco does, given that they're already designed with both men and women in mind.
