Monday 3 August 2009

Berthold's pac-a-mac 2.0

A look inside bstore for the latest exhibition

Raimund Berthold and artist Elsa Tierney took over the exhibition space of bstore this weekend. The joint exhibition, presents Tierney’s Meta Morphosis installation and more interestingly for me, marks the launch of Berthold’s capsule collection of transformational outerwear inspired by the practical pac a mac. Berthold, a (relatively) recent graduate from Central St Martins, showcases a capsule, debut offering comprising five pieces. All five pieces are are sporty, lightweight and comfortable, using modern fabrications which are perfectly suited for the British weather. It is undoubtedly a timely capsule range. The recent weather in London and beyond (EJ can testify for Manchester) can at best be described as a sick joke. Blue skies and glorious sunshine one moment (admittedly, these have been few and far between), wind and rain the next. More than once during the last few weeks I have been forced to trudge around town sodden whilst bemoaning the Great British summertime. Berthold's debut is a unique design collection of outerwear that cunningly changes from a coat to a bag and back again with consummate ease.

"I had an idea that it would be fun to reinvent the ‘pac-a-mac’. I loved its design and practicality and envisaged expanding this theme into a collection of men’s outerwear in interesting, weather resistant fabrics, and all with their own integrated bag” comments Berthold.

Pieces include a double breasted car coat which converts into a duffle bag, and an over sized round neck windcheater that changes into a ‘shopper’. There is also a rain cape, but with sleeves whose integral back ‘pocket’ turns into a simple square bag with back straps and a gillet which flips inside out to create a mesh shoulder bag as well as a loose fitting overcoat.
These include a double breasted car coat which converts into a duffle bag, an oversize, round neck windcheater that changes into a ‘shopper’. There is also a rain cape, but with sleeves whose integral back ‘pocket’ turns into a simple square bag with back straps, a gillet which flips inside out to create a mesh shoulder bag as well as a loose fitting overcoat. My damp clothes are evidence enough that my wardrobe would benefit from a few items from this collection sooner rather than later, so I will just have to puddle hop my way to bstore.



2 comments:

John said...

I needed a pac a mac this morning.

Anonymous said...

Nice designs

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