Since Joe Fresh launched in the U.S. three years ago, it’s become a favorite of the fashion in-crowd for well-priced clothing and accessories that transcend trends. We spoke to Joe Fresh’s creative director, Joe Mimran, exclusively about this season’s mountaineer-inspired, cozy-chic collection.
What was the inspiration behind the design of this collection?
We titled our fall/winter 2014 collection “Fresh Expedition,” as it was inspired by Canada’s great outdoors and a spirit of adventure. I conceived it as a union of urban sophistication and a somewhat romantic call of the wild. There are references to Canada’s mountains, wilderness and outdoor elements throughout the collection.
The collection looks very outdoorsy. Can you explain how that came to be?
The outdoors was our primary inspiration so outerwear became a key focus this season. I imagined parkas and coats in new volumes and unexpected fabric combinations, as in one design fashioned from teddy bear fur. We recast the proportions for outerwear, with coats alternating from oversized to shrunken, trapeze to ankle-length. This is a confident, active woman who likes the outdoors. She’s cool but never fussy.
Was this a response to the Polar Vortex at all?
Yes, absolutely. I think everyone remembers enduring the seemingly endless Polar Vortex together last winter. That cold seeped into our collective conscious. Outerwear and lush, warm fabrics really became top of mind.
What are the key pieces from the collection?
I love our faux fur pieces, which are soft and glamorous and make a real style statement.
Can you give some advice on how to layer these pieces?
On the runway, we layered our oversize coats with dramatic volume over much slimmer pants, which created a very modern silhouette. Some of our pants were constructed from menswear-tinged cavalry twill or embellished with sporty lace-up details. I think the narrow contours on bottom create an interesting dichotomy of silhouette when paired with larger volumes on top.
For our favorite picks from the Joe Fresh fall collection, check out our Best For Less feature in InStyle’s biggest ever September issue.