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Earlier this year, Jenny Packham visited the Prado Museum in Madrid – home to the world’s largest collection of artworks by Spanish greats including El Greco, Velazquez, Goya and Murillo. Amongst these masterpieces it was the alluring, flirtatious scenes by the lesser known nineteenth century artist Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, that really captivated her. Garreta’s subjects are society women. Beautiful and fashionable, they are confident, seductive and intriguing. Working with oil on canvas, he conveys the sumptuous fashions of nineteenth century style; satin, feathers, porcelain and velvet, with a beautiful luminosity.
A majestic palette, rich with texture, this season’s collection comprises slinky form fitting gowns, full skirts with coquettish slits and contemporary separates of midi palazzo pants, tailored flared trousers, peter pan collars and statement jackets. Painterly hues of nightfall blue, emerald green, black tulip and cocoa are accented with bright bursts of poppy red and paprika orange.
Exquisite fabrics; draped duchess satin, opulent velvet and delicate lace are adorned with oversized textural sequins and intricate beadwork of crystals and pearls, each garment exuding a sense of drama inspired by the spirit of Garreta’s women.