Set in Nettie’s two storey North London house, the series subtly unmasks the nuances of the Camilla Bloom aesthetic and philosophy. The brand, which takes its title ‘Bloom,’ from the maiden name of Stolerman’s mother, was born from the desire to fuse classic woven tailoring with knitwear. It’s first collection officially hit stores in December 2019, comprising pieces which speak to an appreciation of both quality and a slower practice.
Stolerman, who has previously interned and worked for brands Alexander Wang, Gareth Pugh and Aquascutum felt fueled to renounce fashion’s fast paced nature. “I wanted to break away from the typical, cyclical 4-seasons-a-year and traditional fashion housing, it just felt a bit repetitive,” she explains, speaking from lockdown in her parents’ house in the English countryside. Approaching knitwear from a woven background is one mean feat. The highly collaborative process used craftsmen from Italy and China. This first collection, Astrid remained in the developmental stage from March 2018 to June 2019.
The designer attributes this to her desire for flawless manufacturing. She confesses that this trait comes not only came from Nettie, but also her family’s history of painstaking work in cabinet making and the ownership of clothing stores. “I get so much out of the development and the problem solving and finding the perfect yarns to create different techniques,” she reflects, noting the importance of creating garments that have longevity. This slower, well considered process is a highly debated topic within the Fashion Industry…and Grandmother Nettie, at 85 years of age, potentially embodies the solution for a new way forward. “She’s always had this beautiful style – less is more, she has always bought less. What she has bought she will wear really regularly and really cherish it for years and years,” Stolerman reflects, recalling garments from the 1960’s that have been handed down to her.