Text by Rachel Edwards
The long awaited return of the undoubtedly talented design duo Clements Ribeiro has been announced. To take place during this forthcoming London Fashion Week, Clements Ribeiro shall unveil their first ready-to-wear collection since spring 2006. Designed to succeed the place of their limited edition capsule cashmere collections launched last year that were so well received worldwide, they shall once again pick up the catwalk crown they temporarily left behind three years ago. Showing as part of the new presentation schedule in the Portico Rooms at London Fashion Week’s new home in Somerset House they’ve been welcomed back with open arms and eyes as we wait with baited breath to see what they have in store for us.
How do you feel about your much anticipated ready-to-wear return to London Fashion Week?
Clements Ribiero: We feel pretty good. We have been working at our pace and, after re-connecting with clients and press since last year through the projects as well as a capsule A/W 09-10 collection, the presentation feels like a natural step.
Tell us about the new presentation schedule which runs alongside the official catwalk schedule.
Clements Ribiero: We think it is pretty cool. Fashion shows bore us right now. We feel a lot better about an intimate presentation that can take whichever format we fancy. It feels more modern and convenient. Of course it happens to fit conveniently with the 'austerity climate', which is a bonus.
Why did you choose London for your homecoming?
Clements Ribiero: London is our home. It creates a context within which our collections make sense, they belong.
How have you developed this forthcoming collection on from your Limited edition projects?
Clements Ribiero: The projects create a laboratory of ideas, experiments outside the box of seasonal collections. They create a much more direct dialogue with clients and media. We used them to start the development of a new vocabulary and a fresh approach to designing. The new collection is, of course, a very different exercise, but it was nourished by the projects. It is more ambitious in scope and is super fresh and focused.
What was the inspiration behind your new work?
Clements Ribiero: Having a break allowed us to take stock of our career and, as we re-start, we have the opportunity of doing things differently, of exercising informed choices. We took this first S/S collection as a blank canvas, quite literally, upon which we introduced new elements in a very measured and deliberate way. We were inspired by the concept of marrying strictness and whimsical, reigning over our natural exuberance and zooming into our most essential fantasies.
Are there any other designers whose work you will be looking out for during LFW?
Clements Ribiero: There is so much to look forward to in London: Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab, Roksanda Ilincic, Peter Pilotto... An incredible bunch of talents, oozing energy and polish.
You're also launching your shoe line once more, how did this come about and what can we expect this time round?
Clements Ribiero: We love doing shoes, it comes very naturally to us. We designed every shoe we ever put on the catwalk, from our early collaborations with Manolo and Louboutin to our own (very successful) shoe line. We had to have our shoe line alongside our clothes from day one. It will be a small range - focus, again - and they are quite brilliant, no false modesty. Besides, they complement our clothes beautifully.
Do you have any plans for future expansion?
Clements Ribiero: We have great plans. As much as we had deliberately started small and independent, we have great plans for Clements Ribeiro, not in the least the launch of our retail concept with a store in London. It's all planned out and ready to go as soon as the time is right.
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