This year, we had the opportunity to discover one of the coolest contemporary luxury brands at London Fashion Week; ENLIST. Based out of London, this brand has quickly become our go-to for those effortless, classic pieces which we all need in our wardrobes. Whether it’s a versatile tee or a classic blazer, season after season ENLIST creates a line-up of separates which not only work in synergy with one another, but can also be mixed and matched to create a unique, self-expressing ensemble.

With so much love for this up & coming, contemporary label, we recently featured them as a part of our Designers We Love series. Having the opportunity to explore their SS17 collection only reinforced our love for the brand, resulting in us wanting to know more about the ethos & designer who started it all. As a result, we sat down with ENLIST creative director and co-founder Mario Arena, to discuss his many sources of inspiration, the ENLIST journey & everything SS17.

THE ENLIST JOURNEY

MA: We spent a year researching, analysing the market, and found there was a gap for affordable luxury womenswear that takes you from season to season, without having to reinvent your look, letting you express your creativity where your find yourself. The journey has been fast since day one; once you are on this wheel it never stops. We are constantly working on past, present and future collections at any one time and thinking about what will happen after… it’s great fun.

MARIO’S MANY SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

MA: I take a lot of inspiration from travel and the buzz of London, the city we live in; it’s diverse cultures, amazing architecture, and how light bounces off of the building creating seductive hues of colour.

Photo: Courtesy of ENLIST

 THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA

 

 MA: Social media is a great driver for ENLIST; it allows us to bring together a large community of diverse people from around the globe, all with a love of fashion and luxury. Instagram is an amazing platform for the brand as it allows users to be involved in the brand in their own way and mix back the collections to create a look that is uniquely them.

A USUAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF MARIO

 

 MA: I walk to work through Regents Park with my pug, Pugsley. It is such a gift to have this park so close to home and work; it lets you clear your head for the coming day. The ENLIST studio is an old piano factory in Primrose Hill, a very tranquil environment. We play music that reflects the brand and keep the space creative. Most days I’m working on trends, colour palettes and designing the collection with Peter, the other co-founder of ENLIST. We have libraries of fabrics that we have developed, colour swatches and big collection pin boards in ‘The Lab’, a space we set aside that is quiet and all about creating the dream. The afternoons are usually fitting the collection to make sure each style fits beautifully and makes you feel amazing.

 

Photo: Courtesy of ENLIST

MARIO’S CLOSET ESSENTIALS & SEASONAL ‘MUST-HAVES’

THE INSIDER’S ADVICE TO ASPIRING DESIGNERS

Photo: Courtesy of ENLIST