Exclusive: Reformation’s Yael Aflalo On The Brand’s Collaboration With Net-A-Porter
The designer of the label loved by Hollywood’s cool girls chats with Bazaar
Los Angeles-based brand Reformation has enjoyed stellar success in the last seven years since its first launched, garnering itself a dedicated following of Hollywood’s hottest young stars. Now, the brand has teamed up with Net-a-Porter to create an exclusive collection of pieces, right in time for the holidays, marking their first collaboration with an international retailer. Bazaar caught up with Yael Aflalo, the co-founder and CEO, to chat about how the collaboration came about, her favourite piece and how Reformation is forging its own socially-conscious identity in the fast-paced fashion industry.
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia: Why did you decide to do the collection with Net-a-Porter [NAP]?
Yael Aflalo: Like many women, I love Net-A-Porter. It is the luxury destination for fancy ladies around the world and we’re excited to introduce them to Reformation. I have also always been inspired by NAP’s chic, global customer.
HBA: How did it come about?
YA: We agreed on a concept then reworked styles, making sure to highlight some of our classic Reformation pieces as well as introducing some new trend styles. NAP really loved the ideas and customized the designs and colours to their customers’ needs.
HBA: The collection is themed around the holidays – how would you describe holiday dressing?
YA: Sexy and feminine, I think Reformation has become known as a go-to for dresses for the holiday party season. Women have a million things to go to at this time of year and they need a great dress for all of them.
HBA: Which is your favourite piece in the collection?
YA: The blue velvet slip dress or red silk slip dress – they’re both chic and easy pieces that would look great with some jewelled mules or a tonal robe jacket.
HBA: What can you tell me about the sustainable materials you use in your collections?
YA: Like all of our clothes at Reformation, we use three sources of materials: repurposed vintage pieces, recycled dead stock fabric and sustainable materials like Tencel. We’re creating beautiful, limited edition collections out of surplus materials that people would have otherwise thought of as waste. Our mission is to lead a movement towards a world where sustainable manufacturing is the status quo. Fashion is the third most polluting industry in the world. At Reformation, we have made a significant effort to reduce our impact on water, materials, and energy systems across our supply chain and business practices. And we will keep working to be even better. I’m hopeful that more and more brands will follow suit, and sustainability will become the standard.
HBA: How would you describe the Reformation woman?
YA: We always pull inspiration from people like Jane Fonda, Bianca Jagger and Francoise Hardy – but we don’t design with just one woman in mind. We love seeing ladies with different styles and shapes in our clothes, and that diversity continues to grow with the brand.
HBA: You’ve enjoyed great success in the seven years since you launched – what’s been the biggest highlight so far?
YA: Knowing that we have made a significant effort to reduce our impact on water, materials and energy systems across our supply chain and business practices. We will keep working to be even better and I’m hopeful that more and more brands will follow suit, and sustainability will become the standard.
Click through the gallery above to see all of the pieces from the collection and shop them on Net-a-Porter now.