LONDON — Cecilie Bahnsen is no stranger when it comes to collaborations. She’s teamed with The North Face, Asics and now with Alpha Industries, where she’s applying her delicate designs and floral embroidery.
The Danish designer has taken it upon herself to reimagine the brand’s MA-1 and N-2B bomber jackets — adding her ultra-femininity to utilitarian pieces that will hit the shop floors in January.
Bahnsen has recreated a short MA-1 and two versions of the N-2B bomber jackets.
Cecilie Bahnsen‘s collaboration with Alpha Industries.
Courtesy
“I first saw a friend wearing one of Alpha’s jackets, and there was something instantly captivating about its iconic form. Japan has long been a place of deep inspiration and I often notice girls there pairing structured bomber jackets with delicate dresses,” the designer said in an interview. “It’s a contrast that feels so effortless and has unfolded as a natural extension of our universe and everyday couture approach.”
Bahnsen started the design process with the original silhouettes of the bomber jackets as she wanted to honour the detailing of the pieces, but then added her touch with hand-drawn floral patches and laser-cut motifs to emphasize the “feeling of the jacket almost blossoming with each movement,” she said.
The patchwork she used was especially sentimental to her as it was inspired by “Garden Bulbs in Color,” a gardening book she found last summer that featured hand-tinted flower illustrations that seemed to spill beyond the page.
“These jackets blend seamlessly into the Cecilie Bahnsen world — there’s both a softness and a strength in them,” said Bahnsen, adding that she knows her entire team will be living in the jackets soon.