My initial inspiration was Bauhaus art. I wanted to zone in on the simplicity of the big and basic shapes mixed with bold colors. As I began sketching and sampling for the collection it took a completely different turn. The Manley aesthetic is quite romantic so for me the challenge was making something beautiful using tough fabrics, hard shapes and strong lines.
As things progressed i completely toned down my color palate. I introduced terribly feminine fabrics to balance out the pig skin, essentially I softened my inspiration and hardened the garments basic structures.
I always begin my design process with the eye catching pieces. This way I can use these pieces to inspire my basic and simple pieces. At the moment I am creating a simple separates line to add to my current collection. I want that all the pieces can be teamed together in a million different ways. I want people to be able to make their mark on an outfit and not just put on a ‘Manley’ dress with a ‘Manley’ coat and look like their dressed head to toe in ‘Manley’.
