"A small black wooden house in the middle of the forest of Spruce Head, Maine. Puristically clear and yet so inviting, clad in burnt, shiny black wooden shingles. Anthony Esteves, a sculptor from New England, uses simple means and a lot of creativity to convert a simple cabin into a home for his small family. Full of natural elements and simple but sophisticated touches, he hand-built what he calls the 'Soot House' according to Japanese principles. This pioneering spirit and the beauty of simplicity inspire the ISCHIKO Autumn/Winter 2021 collection."

A very personal collection has been created for the new season. It focuses entirely on the essential requirements of clothing and on expressing one’s own style: comfortable yet feminine, playful and altogether practical, oversize silhouettes that define the body. These include padded, water-repellent parkas and cosy jackets with soft volume. Generously cut shirts in pure cotton are combined with knitted jumpers that look as if they were made by hand. Printed dresses with long bows that can be tied imaginatively have a feminine, playful effect.

A print designed with simple wooden stamps, cotton dyed using a batik technique – the newly discovered joy of creating something with one’s own hands is both a style element and an expression of optimism.

The colour palette is soft, gentle, inspired by the unspoiled Maine landscape and the small life in the circle of loved ones. Slate, limestone and moss; soft winter tones harmonise with the colours from the everyday life of the young Esteves family: denim blue, cotton white, a warm raffia tone, soft quartz pink and the familiar, almost black charcoal grey of the Soot house.

The rhythms of nature are similar to those of fashion. Both demand attention and patience, commitment and trust. The return to the essentials is both a source of peace and energy.

Anne Pastré
Head of Design