Heimstone - Fall/Winter 2010-2011

Heimstone may have earned its reputation via its little romantic, prettily offbeat dresses, but it has succeeded over time in imposing itself as a designer label apart, whose collections we anticipate impatiently. This season, it is with pleasure and curiosity that we allow Alix Petit to take us with her to Alaska.

Light, refined, girly, retro or rockabilly, the dress always holds a special place in the Heimstone fall season wardrobe. This being said, it is not the dresses that render the label so special. The label's designer, having recently explored the extreme north of the Americas, has accented her outerwear with warmth and coziness, and soaked them in local folklore.

Based around the zippered, Navajo printed maxi cardigans, ancestral weave boleros and wool-lined leather jackets, these pieces perfectly incarnate the ideal wardrobe of the urban nomad.

Petit may base her creations on her own personal stories, but she does not forget to position her collection in the mood of the moment. She uses a color palette of tints going from prune to Bordeaux to cherry red, allowing the fashionista to easily incorporate a Heimstone piece into their looks of the season.

Continuing her work on the leather jacket (she is credited with a couple iconic models that have made the rounds in the Parisian fashion world), Heimstone presents more personal variations, capable of hitting the mark for those who love this boyish jacket style. This season, they are offered in an oversized version, or embellished with a soft shearling collar or a leopard lining.

We may not be completely won over by the slightly old lady-ish graphics of some of the skirts and ensembles, but we did fall for the pieces that succeeded in marrying craftwork details and sexiness, e.g., the transparent blouses with asymmetric, detailed collars. We also noticed the presence of tribal jewelry in feathers, which will surely please those fashionistas looking for something different in their accessories.

Those who would like to experiment with the mountaineer trend can go for a Heimstone maxi cardigan, which will allow them to try the trend with subtlety.