NARCISS S/S'14: Thumbelina - The Clothes Maiden Magazine

A creative style outlet that is becoming an up-and-coming London-based fashion label, NARCISS stresses the importance of sophistication and femininity.

Their name is derived from the ancient Greek myth about a handsome young man, Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. From this, they have taken on the label, encouraging women to be more self-confident and to love with themselves in a healthy way.

The elusive woman behind NARCISS, Alise Trautmane, decided to quit the corporate world and after attending lectures in Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and Istituto Europeo di Design, the fashion label NARCISS was launched, embracing the love for beauty and fashion.

The inspiration for the NARCISS 2014 spring/summer collection, which will be showcased in the Riga Fashion Week,comes from Gundega Repše’s novel “Īkstīte” (Thumbelina) that draws on the motifs of Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale of Thumbelina. She describes a romantic flower child who wants to melt into an imaginary world where nothing is impossible, escaping from the seriousness of adult existence which can be followed by painful defeats.

This flower girl is the centre of the story of NARCISS collection, where the collection features light, childlike qualities with feminine maturity, attempting to unite the importance of the two elements within a harmonious woman.

The NARCISS interpretation creates a visually strong and contemporary collection, featuring flora and fauna elements found in the detailing and decoration of the garments, continueing from its trend to produce the humble luxury of NARCISS designs, made from high quality natural fabrics, manufactured with best craftsmanship skills.

Its collection is effortlessly elegant, creating formal outfits with the use of simple, contrasting colours. Its divergence of bold colours, gentle, close-fitting clothing, generates into an sleek, sophisticated outfit that resonates with vitality and grace, which makes one feel, as Gundega Repše’s phrase states how ‘Every woman wants to be a Queen’ seem effortless.