BELGRAVIA BELLES: It’s become an annual ritual for Emilia Wickstead to tap her friends, and interesting new people she meets, to star in her resort look books, which publish this time of year as part of a see-now, buy-now collection.
This season, she’s invited fellow New Zealander and fine jewelry designer Jessica McCormack, “Zola” film director Janicza Bravo, 1990s model Iris Palmer, fashion stylist Aurelia Donaldson and others to wear pieces from the collection, which is inspired by “British-ness.”
In an interview, the designer used the words “Belgravia,” “country life,” and “gentlemen” to describe the spirit of the 29 looks, which capture the mood of “Rivals,” a new Disney+ drama based on Jilly Cooper’s novel.
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Wickstead said she did her research looking at the photography books of Karen Knorr, who uses animals and pets as a recurring theme. One particular book caught her eye, which was “Karen Knorr: Belgravia,” referring to the posh, central London neigbhorhood.
“Her photographs are interesting because they’re quite moody and surreal with a real ironic twist. The book is not the quintessential Belgravia, it exceeds your expectations and there’s some sort of critical theory behind [the images],” Wickstead said in an interview.
The designer, who has a store in Belgravia, let the featured women bring their own dogs. She also borrowed a few four-legged models and brought her own little friend, Margot.
In one image, Donaldson wears a strapless chintz print dress that’s a nod to traditional sofa and cushion patterns in England. McCormack wears a long, metallic seersucker skirt with a black blouse.
Wickstead, who is known for her sharp eveningwear and red carpet dressing, layered in separates, which the designer said makes up a big part of her business.
As the year comes to a close, she’s already thinking about next year, and hinted that the brand has designs on the U.S. as it’s currently experiencing a lot of growth.
