Photographed by Mitchell Ferris
“Order and disorder, calm and chaos...the dichotomy of elements that exist in the world, in all of humanity to find revelation, clarity and purpose.” That sounds like the words of an ancient philosopher, or the lines of a William Blake poem that you nod your head to, but never truly understand. But to Camilla Freeman-Topper, it sounds like the anthem of CAMILLA AND MARC’s Resort 20 line. Freeman-Topper is the creative director and co-founder behind the dynamic Australian women’s clothing brand, iconic for masculine tailoring with feminine silhouettes.
The Resort 20 line features a razor sharp focus to classic tailoring, contrasted with distorted and warped florals, summer hues of white, sunburst, vibrant pink and cobalt blue, cinches at the waist, and returns to the female form. Be prepared for a whole lot of drama with voluminous dresses, amplified with delicate sleeves and flowy skirts, yet grounded with menswear tailoring techniques.
In a Q&A, Freeman-Topper discusses what it’s like working with her brother, trends she definitely won’t be wearing this summer, the future of CAMILLA AND MARC, and more!
**Where did the concept of CAMILLA AND MARC begin? Were there any specific people or eras that inspired your label?**
Growing up, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by incredible women with style. At an early age, I developed an inherent appreciation of quality and its impact, not only on a woman’s confidence but her attitude towards dressing. The understanding that it’s possible for every woman to connect to her own sense of confidence and beauty and express that through her clothing is how the idea behind CAMILLA AND MARC emerged.
**Is there a driving philosophy or ideology that grounds your work?**
Our aim has always been to provide women with timeless tailored pieces of exceptional quality. Creating non-disposable fashion is something that’s very close to my heart. This mentality has been our driving force and it continues to motivate us to this day.
**What is it like working with your sibling? And how do you both operate creatively together?**
It’s a privilege to go to work each day with my brother. Every partnership has it’s challenges but we are fortunate enough that we understand each other intrinsically. Our relationship - personally and professionally - is built on respect, honesty and transparency. Marc looks after the business side of things which allows me to spend more time focusing on the creative process. Our strengths complement each other greatly.
**How would you describe your past three ready-to-wear collections? What different element is your Resort 2020 collection adding to the brand? Extreme attention to tailoring is something you’ve mentioned before.**
Our past three collections are connected by the very clear vision we have of the CAMILLA AND MARC woman. Conceptually, there has been a recurrent theme of ‘otherworldliness’ which talks to the idea that the woman who wears our clothing has a quality about her that extends beyond the physical. The design has focused on feminine tailoring, with cinched in waists and contoured lines and reworked to give it a distinctly masculine edge. Resort 2020 is an extension, but it marks a new transition to voluminous shapes and vibrant colours. It’s beautiful to see its realisation.
**Did you have a moodboard for your Resort 2020 collection? If so, what is on it?**
We always start with a conceptual moodboard which represents a visual journey. For Resort 2020 we looked at the dichotomy that exists between Order vs. Disorder and our moodboard represents the visual journey we went through to get to this point. It features geometrical figures, oriental prints, manipulated textures and examples of symmetry in nature.
**What is one fashion trend you are definitely not wearing this summer?**
You won’t see me in anything too feminine, I like sharper shapes and tailored pieces.
**If I ever have kids, they will definitely be decked out in your C&M Kids 2019 collection. How was the creative process different in designing kids clothing rather than Women’s? Do you think you’ll continue?**
We have a huge amount of fun with the kids collection - it’s designed for adventure and my children were definitely the muses behind the capsule. I wanted to create very simple, wearable practical pieces that work back with everything in a child’s wardrobe for every occasion. We will definitely be continuing it for future seasons.
**What kind of person do you envision wearing CAMILLA AND MARC? Where are they going when they wear your designs?**
She has a sense of purpose and her confidence and ease defines her. Life is an unfolding, a constant adventure but she remains undeterred by the ripples of the outside world. She can go anywhere; either wearing a tailored jacket styled back with tracksuit pants and trainers or an evening dress with slouchy boots.
**What article of clothing, or accessory can you not travel without?**
I am never without a C&M track set during travel periods. It’s super important to be comfortable and our off-duty C&M collection is designed with this in mind.
**What does the future of CAMILLA AND MARC look like?**
It’s the journey that inspires me, forever unfolding. Whatever the future brings, it will always hold the CAMILLA AND MARC woman deeply in it’s heart. She will continue to inspire us every day.
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