ORLANDO

DRESSING FOR A NEW WORLD. A COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE FLUIDITY OF THE PROTAGONIST FROM A BOOK WHERE TIME AND GENDER HAS NO MEANING.

Orlando is designer Timothy Han’s debut collection. Inspired by the protagonist in Virginia Wolf’s iconic novel of the same name, the collection is a modern interpretation that tells an understated yet subversive story of both gender and timeline fluidity.

The collection is the story of s/he who moves through personas both female/male and where time exists in elasticity. In our interpretation of the story, s/he was born in 1992 fully grown into their twenties. Having never experienced childhood, s/he approaches life with a childlike wonder. Like the protagonist from our novel, our character holds a certain disdain for conventions and tradition, instead choosing to forge their own way in the world.

In their world it is never clear what season exists or whether we are moving through day or night. Time has no meaning. Only the existence of being.

THE COLLECTION

Using a blend of technical outdoor fabrics and construction techniques such as taped seams and gusseting, the clothing reflects this multi-faceted aspect of our protagonist’s life. Clothing which is meant to be worn from day to night; suitable across a range of activities. Closely fitting tailored silhouettes contrasted against light voluminous pieces to add a touch of softness to an otherwise structured form.

The collection also chooses to do away with seasons, instead favouring an approach which blends season to season by following our protagonist throughout a yearly cycle of their life from Spring through to Winter. The collection will feature two main drops a year augmented by inter seasonal pieces which create a seamless story.

The collection draws on Timothy’s experience both in the world of fashion and in the outdoor industry where he worked as a guide, to create a collection which fuses the two worlds together and is a direct response to the pandemic-stricken world in which we currently find ourselves.

Aside from continuing to draw inspiration from the world of literature, the collection ties back to his existing world by creating clothing which has pockets for perfumed anti-bacterial hand sprays, perfume vials for topping up one’s personal scent on the go, pockets large enough for a Penguin paperback novel and removable masks for facing the new world.

THE CAMPAIGN

The campaign captures the dreamlike quality of the novel and contrasts it against the fitted forms of the collection. Shot on the Cliffs of Dover, an area which features repeatedly in Virgina Woolf’s novel, by the photographer Dan Wilton, art directed by Thomas Tait and hair and make-up by Daniel Kolaric. The campaign features Angie Vargas and newcomer Adam Rhazali.

PHOTOGRAPHY / Dan Wilton⁠
ART DIRECTION / Thomas Tait⁠
HAIR & MAKE-UP / Daniel Kolaric⁠
CASTING / Timothy Han⁠ & Thomas Tait
PRODUCTION / Timothy Han & Tina Bhujel
TALENT / Angie Vargas (Elite) and Adam Rhazali (Models 1)

SHOP THE COLLECTION AT BROWNS FASHION