This season, FASCINATE_THE R (Osaka Shinsaibashi) has started carrying the meticulously crafted pieces from A TENTATIVE ATELIER.

A Tentative Atelier, with its essence in fusing various cultures and aesthetic senses into its unique designs, creates garments that not only leave a powerful impression on viewers but also draw them into the brand's world.

This article delves into the allure of A Tentative Atelier through its brand concept, unique characteristics, and latest collection, with the hope of sparking interest and recognition among wide audience.

About A Tentative Atelier

"A Tentative Atelier" is a brand established in 2012, based in Hong Kong, with designers from the UK, Italy, and Hong Kong as its members.

Composed of fashion experts from London, Milano, and Hong Kong, the brand’s style goes beyond the fashion term “avant-garde,” aiming for something more unique that aligns with the team’s spirit.

The brand name "Tentative" conveys meanings like "experimental" and "provisional," symbolizing the brand’s commitment to "continuing to work flexibly, unbound by preconceived notions."

Since its debut collection in the Spring/Summer 2013 season at Paris Fashion Week, it has gained attention and is now carried by select shops worldwide. Notably, the brand uses a significant amount of vintage fabrics and traditional Japanese materials, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality materials.

At the beginning of 2023, the design studio relocated to London, but part of the production continues in Hong Kong, preserving the brand’s craftsmanship and traditional roots.

A Tentative Atelier: A Philosophy Grounded in 「The Spirit Surpasses the Flesh」idea

"A Tentative Atelier" is a brand that began from a foundation of uncertainty, symbolizing a temporary project focused on self-discovery and individual growth.

Each item is crafted with meticulous attention, from material selection to artisanal techniques, embedding a message that emphasizes purpose, understated elegance, and poetic beauty while prioritizing comfort.

Many of the brand’s creations possess a romantic and poetic allure, quietly captivating with their unique character. Through exploring new forms and materials in fashion, they embody a philosophy of "the spirit surpassing the flesh."

The brand also poses a fundamental question: "Can the imperfections of craftsmanship become a new form of beauty?"

Emphasizing garment construction and intricate details, A Tentative Atelier redefines traditional techniques with new interpretations, further elevating its unique worldview to a refined level.

This approach combines couture elements—such as exposed chain stitching and raw edges—with high sewing techniques to create a wearable art form that expresses unique beauty through clothing.

Designs That Preserve Artisanal Elements and Innovate Silhouettes and Shapes

The core of "A Tentative Atelier" design is to merge traditional craftsmanship with innovative details, creating a new style.

The brand offers a unisex, timeless collection reminiscent of a new form of clothing, with designs that incorporate both futuristic and feminine elements, allowing male and female wardrobes to coexist. These romantic pieces are expressed through groundbreaking silhouettes and forms.

Since the Fall/Winter 2023-24 season, the brand has also launched a menswear collection, focusing on classic jacket styles infused with their signature fusion of global cultures and aesthetics, drawing attention from fashion enthusiasts worldwide.

A recurring design feature in many of their creations is the panel design, where fabrics are deconstructed and reconstructed. This detail, meticulously calculated and paired with refined silhouettes, results in high-quality, one-of-a-kind pieces.

While the designs may not appear overtly striking at first glance, upon close inspection, one can perceive the artistry of the garment-making process, revealing the foundational expressions within the clothing.

While pursuing innovative silhouettes and forms, the brand also treasures artisanal craftsmanship, valuing the warmth of hand-made pieces and the continuity of these traditional skills.

Material Features and Meticulous Fabric Selection

A Tentative Atelier sets exceptionally high standards for the fabrics used in its creations, sometimes incorporating deadstock fabrics to bring out each material's unique features in the designs.

They make no compromises in any aspect—whether it be the threads, craftsmanship, colors, structure, or production environment.

Additionally, in Italian factories, top manufacturers supplying materials to global brands are involved, using carefully selected, high-quality, and rare fabrics.

The primary materials include natural fabrics like leather, silk, and linen, which are skillfully contrasted with synthetic materials and metals for balance and reinforcement.

The brand members are highly dedicated to fabric research, and before the pandemic, they visited Japanese sewing factories twice a year.

A central team member, with extensive experience as a fabric collector, gathers and preserves high-quality, rare materials from around the world, using them selectively each season to find the best application.

The materials include Tuscan leather, printed silk and jacquard created in collaboration with traditional weaving factories in Como, wool from northern Italy, and materials from Japan's historical weaving factories, with many items finished using unique manufacturing methods.

24-25AW Collection Theme

「Looking Through The Glass」

The A Tentative Atelier 2024-25 AW collection is themed "Looking Through The Glass."

This season's collection, named after Lewis Carroll’s "Through the Looking-Glass," is the third and final series inspired by this novel.

Based on scenes from the original story, this collection visualizes imagined scenes, weaving classic tailoring with rethought techniques, further showcasing the team's craftsmanship and innovative vision.

A Selection of Items from the 24-25 AW Collection

REVERSIBLE MULTI STITCHES BLAZER

A unique piece that reinterprets the classic three-button jacket with contemporary flair and the brand’s distinctive essence.

The fabric, with a light, crisp texture, features subtle vertical lines created by the dyeing process and thread thickness, while the high-quality Italian fabric blends seamlessly into the piece without overpowering the design.

This jacket, meticulously crafted in the London atelier, combines classic details with modern design, epitomizing the brand’s signature style.

JUMBO PAISLEY BLOCK PRINT SHIRT

The long-sleeved shirt with densely placed front buttons features a relaxed fit, creating a perfect balance with its moderate length and sleeve length.

The fabric used is a special high-quality, natural-colored cotton fabric made in India, exclusively developed by the brand. Featuring a paisley pattern, it showcases A Tentative Atelier’s playful design approach.

The craftsmanship, enhanced with black buttons, gives it a refined and sophisticated impression.

DISTRESSED PATCH CHECKS SHIRT

This unique button-up shirt, as if combining two different shirts, features a clever design where different check-patterned fabrics switch from the side of the torso to the sleeves.

The shirt expresses a sense of classic A Tentative Atelier style.

The base check fabric is Japanese flannel, where varied patterned fabrics create a rhythm and play of colors. Additionally, damage processing has been applied to each part, reflecting the brand’s attention to detail in a single shirt.

PAINTER’S CROSS STRIPE BAND PANTS

Suspenders pants that blend innovative silhouettes with a classic atmosphere use a Japanese fabric with a traditional soft and voluminous texture.

The playful detail of deliberately letting the stitching thread hang down from the suspenders adds a unique accent. The inner hem features a paisley fabric, creating a subtle brand personality when folded back.

Please visit in-store to experience its charm firsthand.

The items introduced today

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