Ilag's spring/summer '24 collection sees founder Renate Nipe's roots, as she rediscovers her very first mood board for the brand
“I’m am an emotional person, and I make all decisions based on my gut feeling,” says Ilag founder Renate Nipe. We’re speaking ahead of the brand’s spring/summer '24 show during Oslo Runway, and – "like everyone” – Nipe current emotions are centred around the uncertain times that we live in. “There is war, inflation,” she says, "and our industry is suffering from this like everyone else is.”
Nipe started designing for the SS24 season in March, and longed to convey a message that symbolises the “the times we live in" and her sensitivities to the chaos of that time. The ‘Fryde oss Flag’ (which translates to enjoy together) collection is Nipe’s answer. "We need each other. We need joy and a good atmosphere, we need to see joy in life, and we need to see opportunities and live in the present,” she says.
Overall, it's a softer spring/summer palette than usual, with hues plucked from the brand’s past. “Before I sat down to design this collection I went back to the archive and found my mood board that I created for Ilag's first collection,” she says. “I had forgotten about it and when I saw the mood board and the colour scale I was very inspired.” The line-up is rendered in subtle sorbet shades, with prints that gently whisper, and silhouettes that are sweeping: cocooning coats, wide-cut shorts and trousers, a billowing branded knit. All enveloping the models descending onto the catwalk via a spiralling steel staircase. “I want Ilag's customers to be able to wrap themselves in delicious and soft materials and feel extra comfortable and happy,” Nipe explains.
Ilag is truly everyday clothing to be used again and again. “It should be cosy, but cool. Soft, but sharp,” the designer points out. Print and colours are important, but the material lays the foundation for a collection that you want to touch, use and live in every day. “I love textures,” says Nipe. “Flat poplin versus rougher twill. Hairy mohair versus smooth satin.”
“I love big coats and jackets. Relaxed sweaters and silhouettes are my go-to in life,” says Nipe. So it's no surprise the outerwear for SS24 is a standout; a double-breasted cropped leather jacket; baby pink, ankle-skimming coat; a denim blazer. “A cool coat can top off any outfit, and large outerwear has always been important for me to include in the collections,” says Nipe. Beyond the brand’s excellent outerwear, new for the season is the feminine addition of billowing dresses and blouses.
Discover Ilag’s full SS24 collection below:
Ilag SS24
