A slice of happiness, found in the sunlight
“You sponge up everything you see in layers,
whether consciously or not. You assimilate it
gradually and then your foundational culture is
formed. Will one of these elements inspire you later
on? You never know,” says Ines de la Fressange for
whom memories of Marrakech recently resurfaced.
"Traditional Arabic tiles, bougainvillea in bloom,
treasure-hunting in the souks…I can picture all of
these scenes from my very first trip to Marrakech
with my grandmother. I was 13 years old.” From
there, it became her favourite destination.
“Over the years, I found myself more sensitive to
colours than anywhere else and realised one thing. It
is the wonderful effect of sunlight! The light changes
everything. It illuminates and spotlights things, a bit
like fluorescent highlighter. The nuances of a fixed
colour shift under different qualities of light”, she says,
referring to the benefit of dazzling daylight. “A beam
of sunlight symbolises a slice of beautiful life,
happiness in a word. This is what I wanted to
interpret in the clothes.”
When asked for an example of something that
recently enchanted her, Ines passionately recalls
seeing a rose field in Palmeraie, a short drive from
Marrakech. “This landscape was the inspiration for
flowery motif of the latest collection. I can’t wait to
throw on one of the jackets in this print over a T-shirt
and a V-neck jumper with a pair of jeans. The jackets
are unlined and therefore easy, very practical for the
summer,” she says, imagining herself in one of the
cleverly updated designs.
“It is important for us to propose something new, a
subtle twist. Different clothes, different attitude. The
way you approach things. Shall I share an
example from the latest collection? A shirt with a
slightly ample cut, thanks to a single box pleat at the
back. So comfortable and flattering that it makes you
feel confident. If something makes you look lovely, then it
certainly puts you in a good mood. What a brilliant
cycle!”
Ines also revisits essential items constantly, such
as a navy-blue jacket. “Plain or double-breasted,
fitted or boxy, gold or natural buttons… There are so
many possibilities! Perhaps I’m forever looking for a
perfect navy-blue jacket,” she adds with a grin. It’s
an approach that sums up the UNIQLO x Ines de la
Fressange collection, a relevant wardrobe fusing
newness and timelessness through her unique filter.