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| Elizabeth Rehnke Image Credit: Styleite.com |
There is something that stylish women like Liz Rehnke can look forward to this month -- something that will remind them about the glamorous style of Russia’s high society that Leo Tolstoy wrote about in his first novel.
A year after Banana Republic debuted its Mad Men capsule collection, a salute to the trendy men and women in the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency, the company is launching a new line, this time inspired by Anna Karenina, Tolstoy’s epic 1877 novel about life, love, and affairs among Russian aristocrats in the mid-19th century. The limited edition clothes will drum up the hype for the November release of the movie adaptation of the book.
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| Elizabeth Rehnke Image Credit: Styleite.com |
Banana Republic collaborated with Jacqueline Durran, the film’s costume designer for the 76-piece collection for fashion-forward women, something Liz Rehnke would be very happy about. Drawing inspiration from the mid-19th century garb of Russian upper class, such as velvet fabrics and dramatic brocade patterns, the collection embodies the past but with a modern take. For instance, a red evening gown worn by Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina—one of the central costumes in the film—has been redesigned as a knee-length shift that can be worn to work under a blazer.
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| Elizabeth Rehnke Image Credit: Styleite.com |
Accessories such as luxurious pearls and crystals that Knightley wore in the film were reinterpreted, too by the retailer. Same goes for the many luxe furs and huge baubles that graced the film. All of these items made their way to the capsule collection, a throwback to Russian luxury.
Banana Republic’s Anna Karenina-inspired collection will be available by the end of October.
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