Ensemble, punched and shredded cotton jacket and skirt with animal print top and collection printed catalogue, BLAAK, London, Spring/Summer 2004

Jacket and skirt in unbleached cotton with punched hole pattern and frayed seams. The jacket is double-breasted, similar to the shape of a leather biker jacket, and features metal zips on both sides of the waist and another across the right shoulder. The skirt is panelled creating flounces and fastens with a zip at the reverse and a belt with metal buckle.

A colour printed catalogue shows the skirt in its original ensemble on the catwalk. The jacket and t-shirt are not featured but similar garments in the same leopard print pattern can be seen in looks 33-36 inclusive.

Given by Aaron Sharif

BLAAK was founded by Sachiko Okada and Aaron Sharif in 1998 whilst still students at Central Saint Martins, London. The thos of the label was a contemplation of the emotions around the colour black. BLAAK's first collection, 'Blaak magic', was inspired by West and East Africa and included rope style belts and accessories made from shells. Before the designers had graduated they had sold the collection to Browns boutique and Liberty in London, Colette and Maria Luisa boutiques in Paris and Barneys department store in New York.

BLAAK went on to show at London Fashion Week and won several awards including the ELLE Style Award for Young Designer of the Year in 2002. They were three-time recipients of the New Generation funding award.

Since 2014 the company has taken a more sustainable approach to their work and Sharif is particularly interested in the healing properties of crystals and how this can be applied to clothing, such as applying a crystal matric print to the interior of denim.

This skirt suit and T-shirt is from BLAAK's 'Folia' collection of S/S 2004. This collection was inspired by Jackie Nickerson's book Farm, featuring portraits of farmworkers in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The BLAAK garments are particularly interesting in terms of textiles. The deconstructed punched and shredded cotton of the Folia outfit and the A-line of the skirt recalls the farm workers’ adaptation of found textiles and materials to fashion their own workwear garments and the silhouettes and worn condition of this apparel.

T.56:1-2021