In the fast paced world of fashion, you don’t want to be left lagging. Not only can you fall behind, but you might also fall off the edge of the earth and into the void below, with only ex-season stock sitting forlorn in discount bins as the debris that remains to prove you ever existed in the first place. Fleet Ilya seem to know it. They’re another brand that’s transitioning: once the spiked leather fetish piece on the shoulder of Rihanna, now a pastel coloured clutch – an elegant little belt purse, even – an understated leather handbag that the most demure of girls can carry. It’s all part of the trend cycle for the leather harness, a piece that’s evolving to survive beyond the harsh landscape of the fetish trend.
Don’t get me wrong, Fleet Ilya’s Spring 2011 accessories collection doesn’t shy away from its bondage roots entirely. The armour plating leatherwork still carries through, even if the overall style has softened along with the colour palette and complexity of the pieces. No, it’s not shying away – just taking a necessary step in the right direction to keep pace with that rapidly spinning world.
Visit http://www.fleetilya.com/.
You can view the rest of the Spring 2011 look book at the gallery.
Soft Bondage You Can Try: Fleet Ilya (28 Apr 2012)
