I spent an afternoon playing dress-ups in Eska Alikai's new autumn/winter '14 collection and quizzed designer and director Micha Dyball about how to properly look after my leather staples.
- Hang it in a well-ventilated area in your wardrobe as soon as you get home – if you don’t allow leather to breathe it can cause mildew and quickly destroy the piece.
- To fix a crease, lay the garment out on a flat surface and stack books on top.
- Be aware of spilling any liquids on your leather pieces when wearing them.
- Don't put too much pressure on the seams.
- Always air your leather pieces out after wearing them to minimise odours.
- Use a professional dry cleaner, but always be sure to check whether they send it to another specialist as you may have to wait up to three weeks to get your garment back.
When shopping for leather, always...
Purchase a size that is a little snug but not too small. Leather stretches comfortably but if too much pressure is placed on the seams it will tear and can sometimes be un-repairable.
The cardinal rule of caring for leather is...
Always check the care instructions. There are different types of processes that can be used on the leather so be aware of how to treat that specific skin.
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The inspiration behind the new collection was...
Diversifying the collection has been a real focus this season. I wanted to extend the fabrics and textures used to produce pieces that complement leather. It's all about refined minimalism that has an understated luxe feel.
My favourite piece from the collection is...
It's tricky to narrow it down to just one! Let's go with the crane skirt in black (always black) as I can't wait to wear it.
If I had to choose a soundtrack to the collection it would be...
Tycho – Dive.
The Eska Alikai girl is...
Confident and effortlessly refined.
