The conquest of Mount Everest in the 1920s was the starting point for Marcus Wainwright and David Neville’s Fall/Winter 2010 rag & bone collection, most notably with British explorers in the early 20th century who attempted to reach the top, having to rely on natural fibers for insulation. The functional approach to traditional English fabrics such thorn-proof wool and Harris Tweed, coupled with the concept of heavy layering as protection from the elements, laid the foundation for the season. Fall 2010 sees rag & bone’s signature fusion of New York street-style with the English military and formalwear take on the characteristics of the explorers and mountaineers who first tried to ascend to the heights of Everest, such George Mallory, noted for leading the first ascent up the world’s highest mountain in a heavy tweed suit. The collection also incorporates elements of the colonial experience in the British Raj—specifically, India, Nepal and Kashmir—during the 1920s and 30s, which are translated in elongated skirts, Ikat prints, mélange wools and quilting details. Formal fabrics used for military jackets, and formalwear separates using outerwear and technical fabrics add a modern element to the mix of rich British and Southeast Asian colors, textures and proportions oki-ni.com/Rag-and-Bone
