Interview with Julie Schöller about the Italian & Japanese fabrics (SS24)
Certain Rue Blanche garments carry an additional label indicating that their fabrics are made in Japan or Italy. To discover more about these particular textiles of the spring-summer collection, we have our annual conversation with Julie Schöller, the production assistant at Rue Blanche responsible for ordering the woven fabrics for the collections. Julie studied Textile Design at La Cambre in Brussels and previously worked as a documentalist at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Paris and as a textile designer for a West-Flanders manufacturer of luxury linen.
Why do you think it is important to indicate that certain fabrics are made in Italy or Japan?
By indicating the origin of certain materials we try to make our customers aware of the importance we attach to quality. Italy and Japan are two countries renowned for the production of impeccable quality fabrics and they both have a rich textile history. Our suppliers are no dilettantes, so nothing happens by chance. And when your brand’s core value is producing high-quality clothing, you have to carefully seek manufacturers that can deliver. Subsequently you also want to build long-standing working relations with them. It is important to us, that our customers are aware of this.
What do you think is the most special fabric of the spring-summer collection?
There are many refined fabrics in this collection, that possess that “special something” elevating them from classical to classic. But I think the Italian fabric FB45 28 is quite unusual. I adore the colour – it’s this warm, havana-esque camel – but the aspect that really makes me tick is its unique binding. If you look closely, you can see a plain check pattern. As a textile designer, it’s these subtleties that do it for me. It also feels extremely light to wear and has a dry touch that’s super nice on your skin in hot weather.
For which garments was it chosen?
Céline, our woven designer, designed three pants in this fabric: Alart (a low-rise with a flare), Ratio (a best-seller), and a new model that we all like very much at Rue Blanche, the Sinatra (a wide, high-rise pants with pleats).
What is your personal favourite of the season?
Probably the striped fabric made in Japan: fabric TR4599. It shows an easy timeless stripe, but definitely with a twist. Usually, denim fabrics are woven with a twill weave. Here you find an irregular weave, which makes the stripe more alive and vibrant and gives it a more artisanal look. A cool detail is the red selvedge, a feature visible on the leg seam. I am sensitive to these details, because I know how rare they are. The fabric feels very soft, light and supple for a denim. People of my generation might be remembering the striped OshKosh dungarees of their childhood. It’s a touch of nostalgia (smiles).
The designer chose three other denims this season?
Indeed. There's also a blue denim (FS45 41), which is quite lightweight and soft for these kinds of fabrics. Just perfect for summer pants and an absolute classic. The white denim (TD45 10) has more body, keeping it away from transparency. It's a great white summer textile, still fairly fine, soft, and light but at the same time slightly thicker. For me, the irregular grillage twill makes it unique. The last denim (FJ4504) is made in an out-of-the-box, anthracite colourway, but it's really the brushed look that makes it special for me. Super soft cotton.
