Italian house Marni — best known for its eclectic patterning and breezy comfort — has partnered with Japanese minimalist high street brand Uniqlo.
Launching online and in US stores on May 26, the tightly curated collection blends the best of both brands.
Known for its famously upbeat, unrestrictive silhouettes, Marni has long been about bringing unfussiness into fashion. It uses intricacy and detailing poured into the patterning and construction, rather than the fit, making for clothes that are comfortable and easy to wear.
Now, creative director Francesco Risso has translated that same vision into this project with Uniqlo.
Meanwhile, the Japanese clothing brand, which gets its name from a 1984 abbreviation of its original trading name, Unique Clothing, has built an empire on offering uncomplicated casualwear at high street prices.
For this collaboration, Risso has brought his colourful yet artsy approach into the mainstream, with a series of practical, quirky separates.
Most of the collection is left purposely genderless, meaning a simple, roomy anorak decorated with wobbly lines of lime and black that also comes with matching draw-string waist shorts can be worn by anyone. Meanwhile pjyama trousers with a cheery print would work for a night out as well as slouching at home.
Another anorak, this time cut long at the back for extra protection against inclement weather, is covered in a naive flower design on blue. This was hand-painted by the Marni team, while a deconstructed pleated skirt is covered in red and pink lines on white. Ranging from short-sleeve shirts to socks, the collection is small in size, but big on personality.
This is the first collection as part of an ongoing partnership, meaning that with other long-standing collaborations, such as with Loewe designer JW Anderson, Jil Sander and even street artist Kaws, this could potentially go on for a while.
The collection is available to buy only at Uniqlo, which currently has no stores within the UAE. However, shoppers can usually purchase most Uniqlo items via the platform Desert Cart. Currently there are no details available about pricing.
