EXCLUSIVE: Barrie Taps Sofia Coppola for Collaboration
THE VIRGIN KNITS: For its second collaboration, cashmere specialist Barrie is calling on Sofia Coppola for a travel-inflected capsule that will be available in November.
Collaborating with a creative talent like Coppola was “a desire I’d had for a long time because I find it always very interesting as a young brand,” said Barrie creative director Augustin Dol-Maillot, who sees the addition of an external contribution as “a human adventure that is very valuable to [him] and the people who work in the [cashmere] house.”
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“Sofia is the kind of person, of woman that I think of when I envision the brand and who would wear it,” he said, adding that her wide creative range was also a draw. “I’ve always been fascinated by Sofia’s precision in terms of looks and attitude,” he continued, lauding her “perfect balance between timeless pieces and a modern silhouette.”
The designer attributed the filmmaker’s elegance to “that special touch which makes [the result] relaxed and comfortable, yet so stylish” and used detailing on staple pieces as a way to elevate them.
Among these are three types of buttons that Dol-Maillot describes as “almost jewels,” but also the versatility of pieces that are meant to work overtime, from the airport boarding lounge to a meeting.
Pieces will include a chic jogging set, a rollneck sweater, classic Barrie pieces like tops and cardigans but also a pair of knit ballerina flats. “We want to work from the very specific Barrie hands, starting with featherweight cashmere-silk blends, and play with the dichotomy between roomy, comfortable cuts and more tailored shapes,” he said.
Colors will include a midnight blue, black, grays and a palette of pinks that will span from shocking to soft.
Coppola, a self-avowed fan of the cashmere brand, had been wearing its knitwear “over and over again” and expects to be living in the fruits of their collaboration throughout the coming winter.
She said working with Dol-Maillot and the Barrie team was a fun experience and that they’d managed to reach her “dream designs: the idea of a travel wardrobe that works together, that is cozy and chic.”
The collaboration will be sold at Barrie’s boutiques and on its e-commerce site, as well as at selected retailers worldwide.
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