The collection ‘Lyrical, Calm and Vivacious’ by Kika Simonsen is about travelling to one’s own interior self. It was thought about and created during the pandemic, in times of social isolation living in the countryside in the south East of Brazil.
An intense routine of producing art whilst immersed in nature resulted in a collection inspired by a union of sensations and experiences of the artist living in the countryside.
The intensity and strength of the Fauvism art movement also inspired the collection and its name is a reminder of the “Luxé, Calmé et Volupté” painting by Henri Matisse.
Still life paintings by Post-Impressionist artists Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin and Contemporary art by David Hockney, Cressida Campbell and Mary Fedden have also contributed to the creative process.
The first capsule, Happy Hour, represents a wish for everything VIVACIOUS. It was created during solitary moments where Kika would celebrate happy hours with her own company. The idea for preparing tables with martini glasses mixing exuberant colors and tastes, surrounded by tropical fruits, appeared in a 80x80 cm painting that resulted in two prints.
The second and third capsules, “Camellias and “Ipês”, respectively, were inspired by changed in the vegetation through three months living in the countryside.
The Camellias capsule represents the classic European influence in the artist’s countryside home garden and the Ipês capsule is about the beauty of the Brazilian winter and the iconic Ipês trees and flowers. Both Camellias and Ipês flowers have fueled a visual research linked to gestural painting and color and form experimentation using acrylic paint made from pure pigments. Twelve small paintings measuring 50x50cm were painted embodying the search for balance within the planned and intuitive, strong brushstrokes and delicate ones, figurative painting with abstract, and energy with pause. Four paintings were selected to become prints for the collection: two for the Camellias and two for the Ipês capsules.
The second capsule, Camellias, is about a wish for CALM and Peace.
Ipês, the third capsule, characterizes the LYRICAL elements within the sentimental creative process filled with profound emotions.
The collection follows these concepts through the construction of organic and rounded shapes. Effortless unique patterns are present in pieces that range from deconstructed tailoring to flowy and voluminous dresses made from noble fabrics such as pure silk and viscose georgette.
Highlights go from pure printed linen, to crepe de chine in pure silk, modal tricholine, silk blended with biodegradable polyamide, anarruga, and new pieces in recycled denim. Following the brand commitment to sustainability, an exclusive jacquard of cotton and recycled PET bottles pops up with mini martinis in its pattern.
Just as in Fauvist art, the color chart is intense with candy colors and has vibrant colors inspired by nature, as usual. Colors include jade, bubblegum pink, orchid, mango yellow, lime green and off white.
“Lyrical, calm and vivacious” is made for independent women who like to escape from obvious dressing and situations and look for clothing with conceptual meaning behind the creative process. These women see fashion as an extension of their artistic and sensitive personalities.
