Who started it? British accessories designer Ilya Fleet learnt his trade under master craftsman and saddler Robin Cochrine in Coventry, England. He founded accessories label Fleet Ilya together with Resha Sharma, a London-born Central Saint Martins graduate who co-art directs the collec- tions with Fleet. For each of the label's three lines - Classic, Concept and Restraint - Fleet experiments with fantastical ideas, resulting in couture-standard accessories such as the shoulder bag (left; HK$7,300). His sculptural designs have been seen on celebrities such as Sienna and Savannah Miller, Rihanna and Roisin Murphy and have been featured in Numero, Italian Vogue and Dazed and Confused.
Why we love it: Fleet is heavily influenced by his father, who was a sculptor, and has a constructivist approach to design, which he likes to combine with bizarre concepts. Each of his heavily constructed pieces have an S&M/bondage undertone to them, ranging from corset-like harnesses and waist-clinching belts to head pieces and bags. His dramatic designs are usually made from stiff moulded leather, making them visually architectural yet surprisingly easy to wear. His latest collection is inspired by 19th-century biologist drawings of skeletal structures. It features a series of belts made from hand-sculpted pieces of leather and clear PVC, pieced together like movable joints. The theme comes through in the bags and jewellery, presenting a tough feminine image.
What we'd pick: the high-waist clincher belt (right; HK$6,200) to give an edge to a plain dress.
Where can you get it? Fleet Ilya is available at Uma Miy, 1/F, 9 On Lan Street, Central, tel: 2869 1269.
