The idea opposed itself directly to the demands that came from imminent changes in fashion brands. And Wander’s garments require a functionality that is resolved through technical fabrics and new cuts, but once they achieved their maximum technical capacity, they needed to provide that emotion that is associated with fashion, updating it each season.
AND WANDER, REFLECTIVE EFFECTS TO STIR UP EMOTIONS
And Wander not only values the functionality of its garments, as they also try to capture that sensibility found in fashion. With a history connected to design, one of And Wander’s creators, Mihoko Mori and Keita Ikeuchi, main doubts were how they could achieve a practical and durable design that at the same time provided each season with a new style to their consumers.
The reflective elements created an adapted design not only for outdoor activities but also for everyday use in urban areas. The seams and reflective impressions had reached And Wander for their functionality reasons and slowly became one of the typical features of their products as well as a way to innovate each season. Camouflage prints, ombrés and for the new collection a limited edition version with paint splatters.
The normal manufacturing process had to change completely, the dying had to be the last step. The dye also had to be special, as the exterior garments used impermeable materials that repelled paint and the surface had to be of a solid colour for the paint splatter to reflect the light, which is why a uniform final process was applied. Instead of using a single dye, they mixed silver and black dye to produce different tones.
Each garment becomes a canvas with different finishings, giving a new meaning to an element created for functionality. As an addition, that stays away from their utilitarian sense, And Wander presents the same paint splatter pattern in t-shirts remembering the central element of the collection.
