Brand to know
We're putting a spotlight on our coveted up-and-coming brands. This week: Francon Editions
Francon Editions
New Rotterdam-based luxury womenswear label Francon Editions launches with a collection inspired by lake house dressing. “I thought about how architects approach a building or a design and I thought it would be interesting to make fashion for these places as well,” says co-founder May Kaan.
May Kaan was watching her Holland lake house being built when she was struck with the idea of creating a collection “based on settings rather than seasons”. She and her co-founder and architect husband, Kees Kaan, of KAAN Architecten, decided to base each collection on an architectural archetype. These included the Lake House, Tower, Cabin, Chalet and Palazzo.
The Lake House – available to pre-order now – evokes lazy evenings spent by the poolside. It features a selection of luxury pieces, such as a cosy Aran-knit jumper with Zeeland buttons and a comfortable, multi-purpose dress perfect for transitioning from day to night in. Also included is a tailored woven jacquard jacket and a billowing satin kimono featuring a botanical print inspired by local flora. Here, May talks us through three of her top picks.
The Saskia dress
“The Saskia dress is an eye-catcher with forty-one buttons tracing your silhouette. You can wear it open or closed over trousers or with nothing underneath. We really wanted to make a versatile dress that you can dress up or down and wear in lots of different ways. It’s elevated yet comfortable. The piece is named after a family member.”
The Lina fisherman sweater
“During the first lockdown, my husband and I started looking into the archives of Zeeland. The Lina sweater is based on sweaters worn by late-19th-century Zeeland farmers, who would wear them on special occasions with white shirts and a piece of jewellery at the neck.
“At the time, a lot of fishermen couldn’t swim. If they drowned and washed up to shore, the townspeople would be able to identify which area they came from based on the pattern on their sweater. The unique knitting pattern of the Lina sweater is inspired by these traditional designs. Made out of Scottish yarn, the lina sweater is produced in Belgium.
“For the jewellery piece, we took inspiration from jewellers in the area who had pieces that were part of family collections. These pieces were mainly in silver. We made our own version – gold-plated – in collaboration with a designer based in Amsterdam.”
The Rose jacket
“The Rose jacket is a statement piece featuring a botanical print inspired by the Astrantia major, a flower native to central and eastern Europe – in Dutch: the ‘Zeeuws knopje’. Tailored to a slim, waist defining shape, it’s great for layering over anything from skirts to trousers. It has a sleepwear vibe because, being at home, you have to be comfortable. We style this piece with a biker short. I imagine wearing this to a pool party when you have a lot of friends over. It’s a bit of an extravagant piece.”