Holt Renfrew Designer Collection
Canadian fashion powerhouses in partnership with Holt Renfrew and The Campaign for Wool has brought together through a new and exclusive capsule collection. The limited-edition collection includes exclusive collaborations profiling fine British Mills and Canadian designers LINE, SMYTHE and Mikhael Kale. The Campaign for Wool brings together a diverse community of woolgrowers, manufacturers, retailers, fashion designers and artisans from across Canada and around the world. As a committed environmentalist, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, is actively involved in spreading the message that wool is a natural, biodegradable and renewable resource offering many technical and ecological benefits.
As sustainable fashion continues to shape the industry and define consumers’ fashion choices, wool is an eco-friendly alternative to environmentally harmful man-made fibres and micro-fibres. Every year sheep produce a new fleece, making wool a natural, renewable fibre source with inherent biodegradable properties.
“The Campaign for Wool and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales recognize wool as a natural, sustainable and beautiful resource offering many technical and ecological benefits,” says Matthew J. Rowe, CEO of The Campaign for Wool Canada. “We are proud to work with Holt Renfrew and these three incredible Canadian designers to help share this message with consumers.” Contributing designers LINE, SMYTHE and Mikhael Kale, each bring a unique aesthetic to the collection, creating beautiful and durable pieces. With Holt Renfrew, the founding partner of the campaign in Canada, the designers collaborate to increase awareness of the numerous benefits of wool.
“Understanding where our clothing comes from and who is producing it from the raw material to the yarn mills is such an important luxury, so Holt Renfrew was happy to support this collaboration bringing together our local Canadian designers with traditional wool farmers and wool mills through the Campaign for Wool project,” says Alexandra Weston, DVP Brand & Creative strategy, Holt Renfrew.
The collection highlights how wool is breathable, allergy safe, easy to care for and multi-climatic, making it a staple piece for wardrobes in any season. Since the Campaign for Wool advocates for a sustainable wool industry, the wool used in the collection comes from signatories to The Dumfries House Declaration an effort endorsed by HRH The Prince of Wales to support anenvironmentally responsible, sustainable and commercially viable wool industry.
Available on September 23, 2019, the collection’s iconic designs reinvent classic wool pieces using fine British wool produced in a sustainable fashion.
About Holt Renfrew – Celebrating an over 180-year heritage, Holt Renfrew is recognized worldwide for an inspired shopping experience. Founded in 1837 as a modest hat shop, Holt Renfrew would soon become a purveyor of fashion to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. In the 1930s, Holt Renfrew began to establish exclusive accounts with leading European designers, hosting Monsieur Christian Dior himself in 1947 as he launched his “New Look”. After many years of foreign ownership Holt Renfrew was acquired in 1986 by W. Galen and the Hon. Hilary M. Weston. Under Weston ownership Holt Renfrew has become Canada’s destination for luxury retail. Visit us at www.holtrenfrew.com.
About LINE – Line Knitwear has evolved into more than a 15-year success story. Every collection is an exercise in thoughtful innovation. Consider each design a sensory surprise that expresses an ethos of effortless and understated luxury. Customized yarns and yarn blends combined with a love and attention to shape, sleeves, tucks, gauges culminate into essential collections for work and play. Whether it’s a heavy gauge cashmere blend crew that defies gravity and floats over the waistline or a double-faced wool coat with measured wiggle room for layering, Line Knitwear is ready-to-wear for every one of life’s moments.
About SMYTHE – was founded in 2004, by designers Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe with a single mission: to perfect the woman’s blazer. SMYTHE believed the blazer was a foundational and transformative piece of clothing that had power to instill confidence in the women who wore it. Fifteen years later, SMYTHE is a ready-to-wear brand, built on the same principles as the original
About Mikhael Kale – is known for his conceptual approach to fashion design with attention to detail, craftsmanship and tailoring. A student of London’s Central Saint Martins, whose illustrious alumni include Stella McCartney and the late Alexander McQueen. Mikhael’s creative approach began in Milan with esteemed labels such as Antonio Marras and Bally, later leading to a design position with Exte under the tutelage of Sergio Ciucci and Alessandro De Benedetti. Since launching his eponymous label in 2007 Mikhael Kale has been featured in international publications such as WWD, New York Times Style Magazine, Dazed and Confused, ID magazine, Teen Vogue; as well as worked with international style setters such as Beyoncé, Gigi Hadid and Sky Ferreira. Fashion director Bea Akerlund, president of The Residency Experience currently represent Mikhael Kale in LA. Most recently, CAFA awarded Mikhael Kale with Womenswear Designer of The Year 2015.
Rob Loschiavo, Pomp & Circumstance PR, rob@pomppr.com or 647.229.8412 Anna Woodmass, Pomp & Circumstance PR, anna@pomppr.com or 613.363.7361