Alfred Dunhill spring/summer 2011 collection

Company Brief

New Delhi, February 18, 2011

Experimentation and English Modernism are the core themes of the Alfred Dunhill collection for Spring/Summer 2011. The Bloomsbury Group provide the chief inspiration, both in terms of an ease of dress and a distinctly English take on tradition and subversion combined with an artistic experimentation in the detail and attitude of the clothing and the wearer.

'I don't really like the terms 'bohemian' and 'eccentric' when related to the Bloomsbury Set or, in fact, when related to Englishness overall, they can just be a bit reductive,' clarifies Kim Jones. 'What appeals to me is a Modernist way of thinking and being that applies to Bloomsbury and to the Alfred Dunhill family during that period - a sense of experimentation and invention with both. There was a notion of tradition versus new technology - always an abiding theme at Alfred Dunhill. It is one of the reasons it makes the archive a constant source of inspiration with the ability to easily bring it up to date. There is also a notion of subversion and tradition that is inherited by other English groups post-Bloomsbury and this collection is a nod to them as well, particularly to McLaren and Westwood. So whether it is the 1920s or the 1970s or right now there is always a maverick spirit in Englishness, and this is something that always applies to Alfred Dunhill.'

With the starting point of one of the most precious items in the Alfred Dunhill archive, Picasso's Alfred Dunhill lighter etched by the artist himself with a portrait of Dora Maar, the journey of this collection begins. A similar Dora Maar portrait by Picasso once hung in the painter Duncan Grant's bedroom in Charleston - one of the preserved sites of the Bloomsbury Set - sold to fund the Group's way of life there. Many of the key items of clothing in the collection are inspired by garments worn by Bloomsbury members such as the economist John Maynard and particularly a jacket worn by the artist and critic Roger Fry. The flannel blazer, wide lapelled, high double breasted with a single set of buttons and almost a flared shape is a recurring motif in the collection. There is a concentration on soft, unstructured tailoring throughout, often double-faced and unlined. And whether this is in jackets inspired by artist's smocks with big patch pockets - in fact these pockets are far more complex in technique and have almost a 'bass relief' feel - or in soft collared shirts and roomy straight legged trousers, there is a feeling of fluidity and elegance throughout the collection. Clashing print inserts are placed subtly in the shirting as a nod to the make-do-and-mend attitude of the British artistic elite as well as a nod to McLaren and Westwood. It is also a reminder that Alfred Dunhill clothes are for life, to be passed down to successive generations. Such precious items as signature sterling silver buttons should reinforce this point.

Shoes are at times hand painted, with coloured edging, inspired by McLaren and Westwood's 'Let It Rock' period. And yet there is never too much dwelling on the past as the fabric research and technical innovations always reinforce the idea of Alfred Dunhill's move forward. Omega Workshop inspired animal prints are also a motif of this collection. Outer wear features linear shapes and piping - wearing the inside construction of the garment on the outside features heavily. The palette is predominantly made up of pale and dark greys with varying gradations of blue.

The accessories are once more a witty take on tradition. Marquetry artist's boxes are littered throughout the collection and there is even a sterling silver water-colour box, replete with paints and brushes. The leather notepads of last season are further transformed into i-Pad cases, again reinforcing the idea of tradition, innovation and subversion. Perhaps the centrepiece is the La Captive Clock, an exquisite piece from the Alfred Dunhill archive reworked and available to order. The leather rucksacks of last season are transformed into a lighter weight canvas version and duffle bags also feature in this way for summer.

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