Jens Ferdinand Willumsen’s Vitalist artwork A Mountain Climber, painted in 1912 and depicting the Danish artist’s second wife, informs Baum und Pferdgarten’s Pre-Autumn collection for 2022. Set against Alpine scenery, the youthful Edith Wessel epitomises the revitalising force of nature that defined the artistic movement of the early 20th century. Willumsen’s confident brush strokes portray Wessel’s slender silhouette and the surrounding mountainscape, where earthy hues are punctuated with uplifting shades of blue and pink in a play on light and shadow, mankind and nature.
The new collection chimes in with the spirit of Vitalism and the life-affirming aesthetic of Willumsen’s work, exploring our human connection to the outdoors through seasonless pieces made with the modern, urban survivalist in mind. With upgraded normcore sensibilities – streamlined, gender fluid styles that reference classic menswear silhouettes – Pre-Autumn 2022 champions colour, texture, and pattern in a harmonious multiplicity of perspectives. Set against a backdrop of rich, earthy hues – leafy greens, muted browns and sky blues – intense pink, golden yellow and crisp white shades punctuate the collection. Trekking sandals created in collaboration with Shaka add further pops of bright colour.
Noteworthy styles include a supremely soft reverse-knit jacquard sweater and corresponding printed silk shorts in a fluid silhouette, each of which take their cues from Willumsen’s bold artistic style. Likewise, low-waisted jeans cut for a loose fit feature faded, irregular brushstrokes in natural hues. Floral motifs and abstract animal print contrast these painterly swathes of colour – notably on the season’s smock-style top in ethereal cotton voile, where bright floral bouquets add a breath of everyday romance to the collection. A figure-skimming midi in iridescent dusty blue is cut with high side slits and a cut-out neckline from lightweight fabric, contrasting the heavy texture of a full-length A-line denim skirt with utilitarian appeal and the tactile weave of a jacquard blazer in vibrant azelia pink
Informed by the brand’s trademark minimalist silhouettes and punchy colours, pieces made for layering include a cropped, wool-blend gilet in yellow and cream check, detailed with utilitarian pockets. Reinvigorating the timeless trench coat, the season’s indispensable overcoat is cut with a contrasting back panel. The hardworking style combines form and function and is the perfect accompaniment to the collection’s soft knits and loose-fitting trousers. Made with the self-possessed woman in mind, Pre-Autumn 2022 is an uplifting, easy-to-wear and tactile collection of womenswear with considered craft and painterly details.
