Dive deep into the backstage of the creation of this year's women's winter collection with our designers Zuzka and Eliška! In the interview, we will reveal what precedes the final form of the collection, what the main sources of inspiration are, and what challenges the girls face in transforming creative ideas into your favorite outerwear pieces.
Could you please introduce yourselves and tell us how long have you been working in Horsefeathers?
Zuzka: My name is Zuzana Hánová, and I work at Horsefeathers as a designer for about 5 years (including 2 years before the birth of my children). I graduated from secondary and higher vocational school in clothing design and from a university in illustration and graphic design (bachelor with a specialization in Bookbinding). I am glad that I can use all the experiences from these schools in my work at Horsefeathers.
Eliška: Hi, I am Eliška, and I graduated from the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art, majoring in fashion design. I have been at Horsefeathers for a year and a half. I like fresh powder, orange mimosa, and mountain sunsets.
How would you describe this year's winter collection in a few words?
Eliška: Patterns, block divisions. Play.
Zuzka: The collection is built on two main colors (tea rose and turquoise) and three distinctive all-overs (dalmatian, splash, and polygons), which add liveliness and playfulness to the collection. Each is different, dalmatian is subdued and conceived a bit unconventionally by having the dalmatian spots on a beige background, instead of white. Then there are 2 multicolored motifs. The motif splash, with a more subdued color palette, and the motif polygons, which is based on brighter colors and is particularly suitable for customers who like a more distinctive style in dressing.
Is there anything new and innovative in this collection compared to previous ones?
Zuzka: I would highlight the tri-color Stella pants – phantom/tea rose. It's the first time we've included multi-colored pants in the collection. We always had only solid or at most two-tone pants, which were tone on tone. We designed these tri-color pants in tea rose, phantom, and silver birch. Using the same colors, we also designed jackets to match them so that the sets look nice together. These include: Larra II – silver birch, Larra II – tea rose, Derin II – tea rose, Arianna – tea rose, and for example, Mija – tea rose, which is our shorter anorak, especially appreciated by women of shorter stature. We also created a new type of jacket, which is more styled in a street fashion. It's the Taia jacket in colors polygons, banana, black, and tea rose.
What inspired you in creating this winter collection? Do you follow any trends or pay attention to the competition? And how long does it take to create the entire winter collection?
Eliška: I am inspired by people, mountains, staying in them. Following trends is a given, but we always have to consider our target customer, so we try to design everything to best meet her needs.
Zuzka: My inspiration comes from collecting research (various images, prints that I find interesting and trendy). Then we discuss it together, compare and compile the collection. At the same time, we consider constructive feedback from our team riders. Last but not least, we observe the world around us. Designing and patterning the entire winter collection takes about 6 months.
What is the process of creating the winter collection, from idea to the final products?
Zuzka: As we've mentioned, we take all our inspirations, feedback from riders, notes, and put them on paper. We create a mood board, which we categorize into different areas. Silhouette. Purpose. Color. All-over. And we start designing a basic color palette, on which we build additional products. Then there's the patterning process, during which we comment on and improve the sewn samples before final production.
Which stage of preparing the winter collection is the most challenging, and why?
Eliška: For me, it's about preparing the production manuals and approving the initial designs. Each of us is original and has an idea of what the collection should look like. Reaching an agreement is a process that brings questions and answers, and thus further proposals/ideas. And sometimes we have more designs than possible production slots.
Let's take a closer look at the designs of this year's women's collection. You mentioned that it is based on the colors tea rose and turquoise, with additional colors such as banana (yellow), raspberry (dark pink), and prune (dark purple), paired with more neutral black, silver birch (light gray), and phantom (dark gray). How did you choose this color combination? Is it purely based on the feeling that these colors appeal to you this year, or is there a process behind it?
Zuzka: It's a combination of everything. Trends, feelings, and visionary ideas.
Regarding this year's prints, dalmatian, splash, and polygons, each of them is entirely different and doesn't necessarily match. I'm interested in the process of creating three dramatically different prints that are then combined in one collection.
Zuzka: Having three different all-over prints was intentional. We want every customer to be able to find the one that best represents her and feels closest to her.
What is your favorite design or all-over print in this collection?
Eliška: For me, it's Mija – turquoise and Lotte pants – silver birch.
Zuzka: I like the simply designed Pola II jacket – dalmatian. But I also enjoy the splash motif as a more subdued multicolored variant.
Did you encounter any specific challenges in creating the winter collection that you had to address?
Zuzka: We didn't face any major, fundamental challenges. Of course, we always strive to improve our products, so we address the technical processing of small details: whether prints are placed correctly and don't peel off, whether zippers work well, which pullers to use for a given type of jacket, whether the colors of all-overs and individual fabrics match our specifications, and so on.
From your design perspective, what would you recommend to customers when selecting and combining pieces from this year's winter collection?
Eliška: I would recommend that customers first determine what they primarily want the jacket/pants for, I mean how often they get to the mountains and whether they are fans of fresh powder somewhere off-piste, or enjoy sunny chill days in the park, or riding on slopes. From there, the decision on the water column and fit will develop. If I had to choose a jacket for powder, I'd take Larra II because of the highest water column and Stella bib pants, or Lotte pants. For riding on slopes, I would choose the Mija jacket.
Zuzka: Yes, apart from the design, it's always necessary to consider primarily the technical parameters and the fit of the jacket. Whether to choose a full-zip jacket or an anorak (Derin II, Mija). The customer should also think about whether they want a longer or shorter jacket, more femininely shaped, or looser, straighter fit. And finally, choose the color or all-over design that they like the most.
And what about the design?
Eliška: Let everyone choose and wear what they like!
Zuzka: I agree with Eliška. And I believe that everyone can find a piece in which they will feel good.
