>> Erin Wasson's new collaboration — the Erin Meets Zadig line, done with French luxury lifestyle brand Zadig & Voltaire — is set to be introduced during Paris Couture Week in July. The presentation will have a strong musical element, according to Zadig & Voltaire founder Thierry Gillier, which comes as no surprise — when Wasson designed her RVCA line, those presentations often had a live band performance; the last two involved Gang Gang Dance and Yeasayer.
But the similarities between her RVCA and Zadig & Voltaire collaborations stop there, Wasson says: “Zadig & Voltaire is a sophisticated French brand. I was aware of this difference [from RVCA] when we started developing the collection. We worked with more luxurious fabrics and materials.” Erin Meets Zadig was inspired by “life, classic cars, and Rod Stewart,” Wasson adds: “The collection feels almost sensual. I wanted it to be about basic shapes with subtle texture."
Wasson features in the Zadig & Voltaire Spring 2011 and Fall 2011 ad campaigns, as well as the lookbook for Erin Meets Zadig, shot by Fred Meylan in the Hamptons (a few images in the slideshow). Gillier notes: “Erin’s capsule is really different from what we are doing today. It allows us to offer an even more distinctive product. We are rock ’n’ roll, but Erin is even more rock ’n’ roll.”
The 15-piece offering, which includes a studded suede jacket, leather pants, a cashmere jumpsuit, and a python bag and boots, ranges from 90 euros ($120) for a cotton tank to 1,050 euros ($1,400) for a foal skin coat. It will be launched exclusively on Net-a-Porter in September, before rolling out in 80 Zadig & Voltaire stores worldwide. Though it was originally intended to be a one-off, the capsule collection could evolve into another type of project in coming seasons, Gillier said: “We are already exploring different ideas to do something new next season with her and with other people.”
