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Stacey Bendet’s alice + olivia’s Fall 2017 line boasts bold pieces in vibrant colours made for the woman-on-the-go.
Inspired by Salman Rushdie’s novel The Enchantress of Florence, the collection draws from the rich settings of Mughal India and the romanticism of Renaissance Florence, depicting the story of a woman creating her own destiny in a man’s world.
The captivating line includes an eclectic mix of dresses, trousers, tops and skirts in shades of reds, pinks, and jewel tones as well as Stacey’s signature large black shades known to her fashion followers as #staceface.
Every piece was designed with Rushdie’s characters and settings in mind. The glasses symbolise Rushdie’s enchantress and her big black eyes while the intricate gold metallic beading work on her clothing embody the Akbar Empire featured in the novel. Stacey’s leather skirt in Botticelli’s Primavera painting is also representative of Renaissance Florence. Overall, the collection features feminine silhouettes in dramatic designs that can be worn throughout the day and transitioned to evening attire with ease.
Stacey combines lace tops with dramatic bell sleeves, sequin and silk slip dresses, and ruffle skirts with utilitarian separates such as patent leather bombers, camo pants, boxy jackets, camo jackets, and cargo pants.
She created several pieces and different designs for the a+o girl to mix and match to create new looks, such as pairing sequin pantsuits with statement tees to combining embellished floral tops with patent leather skirts and combat boots. Sequin embellished mini-skirts with leather varsity jackets will look fabulous with lace-up thigh-highs. It will also look great with embellished cigarette jeans and tweed jackets with pearl detailing. Either way, for Stacey, each look embodies a woman who is both fierce and feminine.
Her quintessential a+o statement jackets and shirts are emblazoned with powerfully bold statements such as ‘Queen’ and ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’. These messages are important to Stacey as she believes every female is a queen. She also feels that these messages are represented in Rushdie’s book.
Stacey’s accessories also emphasise her glamorous collection. Her handbags include a mix of faux fur totes, intricate foiled printed leather clutches, and black patent leather crossbodies in modern shapes. Shoes have a sexy edge featuring combat boots with heavy hardware accents in plush fabrics, lace-up thigh-highs, and patent leather booties. Stacey continues building on the world of a+o with her second delivery of eyewear. The collection features shapes including oversized metallic aviators in silvers and rose gold and signature round frames.
During Stacey’s show launch, body painting artist Trina Merry brought the enchantress’s story to life using the human body as a canvas.
All of her ready-to-wear pieces can be purchased from www.aliceandolivia.com, at alice + olivia boutiques, and through retail partners.
