U.K. fashion designer Christopher Raeburn made quite an impression at his Thursday show during New York Fashion Week for Fall/Winter 2011. His inspiration? Victorinox Swiss Army Knives.
“I found a box of these horseshoe nails and I just fell in love with them,” said Raeburn after the show. “They’re simple, straightforward and iconic-looking. And each one of them has this little Swiss flag emblem [stamped] into them.”
Raeburn’s previous collections have capitalized on current military fashion trends, like his Remade In England label which uses re-appropriated military materials such as parachute and uniform fabrics. This week’s Victorinox Capsule collection continues the trend and debuts as Remade In Switzerland.
Victorinox actually created a special knife to be used in Raeburn’s collection, pictured at right. The horseshoe nails were melted and used as exterior scales in place of the hard, red handle for which Swiss Army Knives are well known. It is a limited edition collectible; only 100 pieces will be sold at select Victorinox boutiques and other retailers in September.
Other limited edition pieces in the collection are all made from surplus Swiss Army antique material, some of which date back over 50 years. Pieces include a sentry scarf made from military blankets, a recycled tarpaulin duffel backpack, and a cocoon blouson that Raeburn pointed out as his favorite.
“It’s made from surplus Swiss military sleeping bags and has this waterproof sleeping bag outer [shell] and some of the original buckles,” he said, “so it can be rolled right up and stored just like a sleeping bag.”
Source: L.A. Times
