Colenimo: Vintage style with a modern twist

If you have a weakness for all things vintage like me and are always on a look out for some quirky designs, then London-based online boutique Colenimo should not be missed.

Colenimo is the brainchild of Aya Nakagawa, who graduated from the Tokyo Mode Fashion University and honoured her design skills at a number of fashion companies in Tokyo for almost eight years, before moving to London. Colenimo started in 2007 in London and today is going headstrong with creating several collections; designing, sourcing and producing in the UK.

Colenimo’s garments are not only timeless but have a distinct individuality to them. Nakagawa’s aesthetic vision is rooted in the style and panache of the early 20th century therefore,  what you get is an interesting mix of vintage styles and modern shapes. Nakagawa began with small capsule collections, but those limited number of quality pieces grabbed the attention of several fashion moguls in London as well as Japan. Therefore, it is no wonder that the chain has the backing and goodwill of the British Fashion Council.

For the Autumn/Winter 2011-12 collection, Aviatrix was greatly appreciated. The womenswear collection was inspired from the revolutionary female pilots of the golden age of aviation. It reflected themes of freedom and adventure and had a heady mixture of sturdy utilitarianism with understated elegance.

Not to rest on her laurels, Colenimo’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection is all set to make another benchmark. The collection is called Paper Moon and is inspired by the film Paper Moon, set in 1930s America. For this collection, Nakagawa takes inspiration from the film’s tomboy protagonist and is characterised by simple unpretentious shapes, underpinned by a playful yet confident style.

Some attention grabbing pieces are Oxford cotton dresses and tunics, twill cotton shorts, a bonded waterproof short mac, vintage print fabric lining and pure silk crepe sailor tops with detachable collars. The collection also includes a number of indigo dyed garments. The clothes are understated, elegant and super practical.

Dhanya Nair

To see this interesting mix of practical fashion click here