style news 07.09.09: camilla and marc for Portmans
POSTED 07.09.2009 @ 15:33
Chain store favourite Portmans is teaming up with Aussie label Camilla and Marc for an exclusive capsule collection. Farrah Butt speaks to Camilla Freeman-Topper about bringing their brand to the masses.
When I speak with the preternaturally luminous 28-year-old Camilla Freeman-Topper, the creative driving force behind the six-year-old fashion brand (brother Marc is the business savant who keeps the bottom line in check), she makes all the right noises. The words “thrilled” and “exciting” are liberally bandied about when asked how she feels about working with the iconic Aussie brand, but you also get a sense that this was a well-considered decision, not about making an extra buck by throwing together a couple of substandard designs they wouldn’t dare feature on their own catwalks, as some have quipped about past designer collaborations. “You need to be very cautious and do your research before doing something like this,” she admits.
“You need to spend a lot of time working on the product, making sure you’re doing something that is slightly different to your own line yet still has the Camilla and Marc aesthetic. It was very important for us to go into this knowing we had enough time and love to spend on the pieces. Otherwise, we would never have put our name to it. We spent a lot of time and resources making sure the collection was as beautiful and perfect as it could possibly be.”
There are two blazers – beautiful, scalpel-sharp with fine detailing – and eight different dresses in the limited-edition capsule collection which will be available in selected Portmans stores from September 26 with prices ranging from $250 to $350. All the dresses are geared towards the racing season but come with those delectable Camilla and Marc touches we’ve fallen for over the years – hems that sexily saunter along the mid-thigh, plunging necklines and acres of frothy tulle.
Asked if she has a favourite, Camilla doesn’t miss a beat. “I love the harlequin tulle dress. It will look perfect with a pair of fabulous heels for a day out at the races with your girlfriends.” Better get those orders in now ...