Furry Brilli

A quick glance over Saga Furs website and on their homepage, they round-up all all of the designers using fur in their A/W 09 and the number is A LOT… some use it better than others I might add.  The F word has been skirted around on the blog quite gently.  It has to be said I don't own any that isn't vintage but if truth be told, in some cases I am thoroughly swayed by the aesthetic use of it.  There's fur that is thrown about in a needlessly decadent away without any thought process behind it and then there's fur that initiates a real "Ooooh…that's intriguing…" feeling.  I'm in favour of those that initiate that feeling.  I'm still skirting around the issue because this isn't the forum to discuss it and I've always taken a on-the-fence stance which is my choice.

So whilst still skirting, I'd like to gingerly put my hand up and say that I loved the way Natalia Brilli used fur in her A/W 09 collection…. working with Saga Furs and augmenting her collection with the stuff, mostly in black, she added fur to accessories where you least expect it… on a biker's helmet…

…forming a furry hat on top of a leather covered skull that opens up to make a trinket box…

…as a shoulder epaulet that can attach onto jackets/shirts with a brooch pin//a neck warmer with Brilli's signature leather beads attached…

…then used in abundance in a unexpectedly BIG slouchy bag . Without meaning to sound like a Cruella di Ville, I'm quite drawn to the taupe…

But back to leath-A (prounouned Stella "Project Runway" Zotis style…was it odd that I shrieked a little when I saw her in New York?)… a material with which Natalia Brilli is well acquainted with.  The thing that is comforting about her collections is that even with the changes in inspirations (prehistoric is where Brilli headed for this season…), there is that continuity in her collections that bodes well for an accessory brand that people will know and love, season after season.  Of course, with added experimentation in materials and techniques, Brilli has extra weapons at her side to juz up her collections every season.

Knotted leather bunches continue but in pewter distressed leather…

Fringe gets a look-in with this neckpiece as well draped beautifully on a bag which I didn't snap properly on my camera…

With the collection looking towards prehistoric elements, Brilli returns to her previous motif of studding but puts them on these shoulder pads that can oh yes, will be mine… to add onto metallic blazers and the like…

The palette of course alters again whilst retaining the same recognisable Brilli language in jewellery… the leather covered chains and beads, the Nolex etc… taupe, burnished silver and turquoise blue are my personal favourites…

There's even more continuity in Natalia Brilli's menswear collection which is fast gaining cult status and as always the motifs are rather more literal.  Like I said before, heaps of GIFTING options…

The cat is out of the bag…a black leather tote that can be turned into a rucksack with a beautifully embossed front panel… this will be my next "Buying-for-the-boyf-and-subsequently-stealing-it-from-him" item.