Christopher Raeburn reimagines military uniforms for AW16

Since the launch of his label in 2010, Christopher Raeburn sustainability has been central to his work. And his usual MO was unchanged for his AW16 collection, in which the designer tore apart and re-seamed old military uniforms as part of his ‘Remade in Britain’ project, which usually manifests as re-pieced tents and parachutes.  

The collection can be seen here in the Raeburn’s AW16 lookbook, shot by Dexter Lander, with styling and art direction from Dazed’s own senior fashion editor Emma Wyman and art director Jamie Reid. This season, Raeburn was looking to celebrate the history of classic combat and ceremonial fatigues, but tearing up traditionally masculine uniform and repurposing it for women is a wonderful way to both critique and progress the meaning these garments. “It’s never about replications, it’s all about moving things on,” he said.

Created in collaboration with The Woolmark Company, the collection was predominantly made from Merino wool – from the warm silk-mix jacquard puffa jackets to the wide-gauge knitwear. “It was really good to have an opportunity to work on a very considered and concise collection – rather than seeing it as a challenge it was all about getting each piece right,” the designer explained. Raeburn continues to reimagine of fabrics, as well as the histories of garments, and deserves credit for providing a totally sustainable option for shoppers in a world of non-stop consumption.