Solace London (Q9177)
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Solace London is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Solace London |
Solace London is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Laura Taylor and Ryan Holliday-Stevens stuck to their commercial catnip M.O. for Resort—powerfully dramatic silhouettes, minimally expressed and with an emphasis on technically enhanced comfort—but they moved it on, too. Taylor said the black heat-fixed square studs that glimmered on garments like large-pixel lurex represented Solace’s first venture into embellishment. Along with the pretty house-designed fan print and the oozing ombre color changes on some pieces this was, Holliday-Stevens added, inspired by research into mid-century furniture decoration and Murano chandeliers.Visual shrapnel thrown by exploding sleeves, mushroom-cloud skirts, and shockwave-ruffle bodice details caught your eye at every turn, yet equally evident was the laser cut and four-way stretch wearer-friendliness of these pieces. A ruffle-fronted strapless top and matching pant in white prompted the designers to discuss their imminent bridal capsule, much inspired by a U.S. bridal scene in which they have been happily astounded to discover four or five statement looks are a go-to requirement. Unable to source reasonably priced pieces that emanate drama and are no drama to wear? Seek out Solace London.
7 August 2019
It’s been another winning year for Solace London. The label has cemented its place as the surprise sartorial weapon of choice for a legion of celebrities. Not least, Kristen Bell, who wore its sleek white Lolita gown to the Emmys (retail: just $530), and made many best dressed lists. Further proof that founders Ryan Holliday-Stevens and Laura Taylor are onto something: E-commerce sales of their flattering and affordable occasion clothes are up close to 50 percent year-on-year.With success comes confidence, and the duo was in a playful mood for Pre-Fall. “We wanted to find a way to keep exploring our dramatic silhouettes but give them a lightness and effortlessness,” said Holliday-Stevens, conscious that these are clothes that hit stores in June. There were frothy organza minis and sorbet-hued drop-skirt bodice dresses in broderie anglaise—oh, and lurid leather pants. “We didn’t want anything to feel too twee,” said Taylor of the collection, which stopped short of girlishness thanks to modern touches such as piping and a healthy peppering of animal prints (which remind Holliday-Stevens nostalgically of his mum). The standout look was a minimal crepe knit gown that sculpted the body and was embellished with voluminous rose organza sleeves. Modeled after Taylor, it’s a testament to the power of this pair of childhood friends, who have mastered that rare mix in the fast-paced world of fashion—art and commerce.
4 December 2018
It feels like a positive sign that Solace London’s Spring 2019 collection originated with a purple allium flower. That delicate, circular bloom, which is said to represent fortune and prosperity, was the starting point for the design duo’s first-ever blossom print: “We’ve been talking about doing a floral for ages,” says Ryan Holliday-Stevens, who cofounded the brand with longtime friend Laura Taylor in 2013. “We wanted something feminine that still had a modern and graphic feel to it—the kind of sci-fi flowers you might find on Mars.” The result is an otherworldly botanical design, created using a digital decoupage of photographs and painterly, hand-drawn elements that cover a lavish series of long, draped dresses with modest necklines and generous sleeves in both black and white. Here, as throughout this uplifting collection, the pair have applied a lighter touch to their trademark dramatic silhouettes with softer, floatier creations that will still appeal to a steadfast client base that spans Bella Hadid to Beyoncé and Solange.Those alluring alliums (curiously also called “ornamental onions”) were the building blocks for this season’s punchy, color-clashing shades, too. Purple reigned with bursts of lilac on a swishy, triple-tiered slub linen and rayon gown that was raw-edged with a corset-y neckline that lent a clubby, ’90s feel (“even though there are so many layers of fabric when you put it on, it still feels really light and delicate,” said Taylor); a fun latex trenchcoat (because, why not?); and a structured leather skirt in ultraviolet that falls in a soft, asymmetrical drape (modeled after jeans, it comes in denim, too). Interspersed were hits of neon pistachio, which practically glows on teeny ruffled tops, and Mykonos-ready evening dresses. That unexpected shade acted as a purple palate cleanser, as did the gingham-print looks and one sumptuous, sheen-coated white cotton wrap dress. It’s a joy to see this clean-cut take on froufrou flowers among their trademark body-con.
7 September 2018
Ryan Holliday-Stevens and Laura Taylor have come a long way since they met during northern England’s thriving electronic club scene of the early 2000s. Their globally successful occasionwear brand, Solace London, is now worn by Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner—but it all began with making moves on the dance floor. “Back then, you bought a new dress to go out in every week,” says Taylor of the brand’s DIY roots, which saw Holliday-Stevens fashioning frocks for her to wear out (and often take orders for) on the weekends. “It was always about getting dressed up in the latest thing.”This season, the sartorial drama stems, as ever, from strong, graphic tailoring and cleverly structured silhouettes rather than pattern or print. But the collection is refreshed by a palette that’s slowly evolving beyond monochrome: There’s a bluebell column dress in their perennial plissé pleats, a diaphanous silk skirt in a textured pecan tone that looks especially delicious combined with a creamy polo knit, and a vibrant regatta striped corset worn with cigarette pants. And there’s newness in the fabrication, too. Particularly winning are the off-white nappa leather trousers, a bonded material that also comes in a boxy jacket and body-con leotard.Almost everything here cleverly ticks the versatility box: “You could wear these to a wedding or with a white T-shirt and flats,” explains Taylor of the luscious rose-tint culottes with ruffle-waist detailing. It’s this duo’s laser-guided focus on the luxurious feel and fit of every piece that translates into an effortlessly modern elegance, albeit with a hearty dash of fun. As Taylor pulls a knitted number that she calls the “disco club kid dress” from the rail, she says: “This one’s definitely still on the dance floor.” However sleek, sculptural, and technically accomplished their creations are today, they still pulse with the amped-up spirit of that highly creative, pre–social media era.
4 June 2018
Laura Taylor and Ryan Holliday-Stevens have hit a sweet spot with their thriving occasionwear label, Solace London. Trademarks, including box-pleated column dresses and crisp blouses with dramatic bell sleeves, have become a recognizable part of the brand’s lexicon—earning the adoration of millennials, in addition to tastemakers such as Solange Knowles, Kendall Jenner, and Zendaya.Now, however, it’s clear that the British design duo is ready to push the envelope. Last season, they introduced a small selection of tailoring. “We were testing the retail waters,” says Taylor. The pieces got such a great response, that the first task for Fall 2018 was developing more. “So, we’ve crafted wool pinstripe jackets, high-waisted trousers, and fitted tops in various colorways,” she notes, adding: “The silhouettes are still fairly dramatic, but there’s no unnecessary surface adornment, so everything feels clean and modern—still very us.”Taylor and Holliday-Stevens prefer not to work thematically. Instead, they source the most interesting, cost-effective fabrics they can find each season, and then drape those materials directly on the stand to create silhouettes that align with the Solace woman. “We’re especially excited about this Lurex-bonded knit for winter,” enthuses Holliday-Stevens, revealing a dazzling chrome knit with slit sleeves that feels very Edie Sedgwick. Other notable additions include intarsia-knit roll-necks that display a 1960s-esque marble effect when stretched over the body and several pairs of flared jeans which sit high on the waist. “That’s a new shape for us,” he adds.Naturally, there’s no shortage of occasion-ready looks in the mix. Come August, fans of the brand should keep their eyes out for an asymmetric ivory plissé dress and a sleek black jumpsuit that bears a gently flared peplum.
7 March 2018
Solace London was founded by Laura Taylor and Ryan Holliday-Stevens in 2013. However, today marked their first-ever runway show—four years after the label’s inception. This is a somewhat atypical occurrence, especially considering Solace’s top-tier stockists, including Bergdorf Goodman and Net-A-Porter. But, as Taylor said backstage, “We did it a little differently; we really wanted to understand the wholesale and production side first.”Their catwalk premiere—which introduced the brand to a number of influential American editors—went well. Holliday-Stevens mentioned that the pair doesn’t really look at a storyline for inspiration. Instead, they build their collections by focusing on color, material, and their chosen textiles’ natural properties. “You want to see them move,” added Taylor.Hue and fabric function were front and center: The palette progressed along the fade of a sorbet sunset, transitioning from a creamy yellow PVC-paneled skirt to a sparkly purple, clingy long-sleeved knit tee; from a dusty pink off-the-shoulder body-con dress (with stiff, large leather cargo pockets for added graphic impact) to a ruffled orange top the color of a Creamsicle; and finally to a midnight blue strapless dress, burnt out with lo-fi supernova patterns. Jeans stood crisp while silks and satins trailed away—the point being, there was plenty of contemporary variety suitable for today’s tastes. With twisty contrast earrings and bright dashes of eye makeup, the total package was highly convincing. The best in show goes to a belted, robe-like and plasticized trenchcoat in lemony yellow. Tom Ford had a great statement trench last night in gloaming orange; perhaps this is the beginning of a trend.
7 September 2017