HANSEL

This season, hansel and hello hansel weave an enthralling collection inspired by magical tales from the “Arabian Nights”. Entitled “Flyaway Donkey”, this Autumn/Winter 2011 collection of earthy desert tones thrills with hand-drawn prints featuring key elements from the classic stories. Prints in hansel’s collection narrate the adventures of Ali Baba and Aladdin with Ali Baba’s faithful donkey, Aladdin’s magic lamp and flying carpet, all cascading down luscious pure silk dresses. Undulating sand dunes of the Arabian deserts translate into simple stylized forms on tri-coloured cowl neck dresses and cardigans fashioned from soft bamboo/cotton knits. hello hansel’s digitally printed cotton/nylon knit dresses capture this season’s hero donkey sneaking a ride on his master’s magic carpet as he zips over the desert in the starry night sky. The cheeky hero also stars as an embroidered motif on tri-tone cotton/nylon knit cardigans. Jostling for attention is Aladdin’s magic lamp - glittering in a metallic gold print on cotton jersey tees. Last but not least, hello hansel’s bold and graphic “Treasure” print displays Ali Baba’s sparkling stolen jewels in all their glory on slinky rayon jersey dresses. “Flyaway Donkey” summons up the Middle Eastern characters from the “One Thousand and One Nights” with the classic harem pants, billowing skirts and voluminous silhouettes. Bold colour blocking and contrast trims spice things up while graphic teardrop shaped cut-outs play peek-a-boo on detailed necklines. Doing what all icons do, the all-distinctive turban form provides the inspiration for sophisticated twists and turns and wraparound detailing in dresses and tops. Against a perennial palette of Black, Grey, Navy and Cream, hansel keeps it understated with pale Pink, Sand and Khaki, while hello hansel reveals its adventurous nature with splashes of Electric Blue, hot Mustard and even hotter Pink! Singaporean jewellery label, WoonHung, creates an exclusive range of custom-made necklaces for hansel this season. Christened WoonHung for hansel, expect to see bold pendants featuring the donkey and magic lamp motifs crafted from intricate inlaid wood of contrasting textures and colours, and precious gems hand-carved from White Wood. The range is pieced together with a mix of 14k and 18k gold chains, sparkling rhinestone chains and an assortment of matte chains. WoonHung’s own highly sought after jewellery range is stocked in Singapore, Australia and Japan. Continuing hansel’s tradition to collaborate with artists of various disciplines, this season’s hero donkey springs to life in a 2-D animation video by young Singaporean illustrator Ann Gee, with music orchestrated by Adrian Wee. Ann Gee’s talent is evident in her works for reputed firms such as GAP and Hewlett-Packard, while Adrian Wee is the famous creator of the widely lauded local indie-disco nights, POPTART. Now, get ready to indulge in our hero donkey’s escapist tendencies as he takes you on a modern journey through centuries-old adventures!