Let kids be kids, people say; don’t make them grow up too fast. Let the young be young, we say; you’re only a sprightly 20-something once, so don’t let your outfit choices age you unnecessarily. This Spring, we want vibrant colours and bold shapes that scream youth. We want fresh, exuberant ideas bursting from the fashion industry, giving us more energy and inspiration than a double shot latte.
Described as a mix of modern eclectic sophistication and refined elegance, couturier Mena Lombard’s designs encourage a young, creative mindset in their wearers. As we get older we can become more risk-averse, more set in our ways, less willing to push boundaries for fear of the consequences. Well we’re ready to make a stand! We want to bring back that fearlessness of youth, to experiment with our wardrobes and in turn find the confidence to flirt with risk to get ahead and achieve career success.
As a young entrepreneur herself Mena Lombard knows what it is to marry youthful innovation with valued experience, but how does a fashion label start, and develop in to such a successful business, at such a young age? ‘Everything truly begins when you find out who you are as a designer.’ Find and nurture your talent and your voice and it should come across in your work. ‘Success’, Mena tells us, ‘is the sum of small efforts repeated day, after day, after day.’ (We’re thinking of having that gem of advice made in to a poster and put on the YCB walls!)
For young women, Mena’s collection speaks volumes and allows them to express themselves through what they choose to wear, the energy they get from her designs seeping in to other areas of their lives. ‘It is more about how you feel rather than anything else. It is really about how empowered you become by it.’ Launching a new Every Day Collection, Mena plans to combine the vibrancy of couture clothes with the practicality of ready-to-wear, allowing women to really get stuck in exploring the world in her designs.
With a young, inquisitive mind Mena is constantly aware of the world around her, giving her a huge resource bank to create visionary pieces for both her Couture and Every Day collections. ‘Art and cultures inspire me profoundly, and when I choose my inspiration, or the inspiration chooses me, I love the process of getting to know it and falling in love with it…life inspires me to design’ …and in turn her designs inspire us to live life to the fullest!
Inspired by the sixties, with her Every Day Collection Mena was looking to create ‘a cohesive, chic and diverse collection that could go with all the different scenarios that modern women are exposed to’. Can you hear that? Listen carefully: it’s the sound of women everywhere rejoicing because there’s finally a collection as style-conscious and ambitious as we are. Whether we’re running errands, having coffee, darting to a dinner date, or sitting down to begin planning our next passion project it’s imperative that our wardrobes are ready for any occasion. With their striking colours and unique yet practical shapes, slipping in to a Mena Lombard design will ensure you don’t get old before your time.
