Dream coats
Founder of luxury outerwear label The Landskein, Anna Guerin beautifully blends heritage fabrics with contemporary design, explains Marie Kelly.
Irish luxury outerwear label The Landskein releases its sixth collection today. Called Quintessence, founder Anna Guerin explains that the term comes from mediaeval philosophy and refers to “the most perfect or typical example of something”. It’s a fitting descriptor for the 26-piece collection; a curated edit of coats and blazers exquisitely crafted from heritage fabrics into unmistakably modern silhouettes.
Since launching in 2019, The Landskein has come to represent the essence of investment dressing, appealing to a discerning customer who values the intersection of heritage and contemporary design. “The challenge is always to create something enduring that isn’t just about the now, but stands the test of time,” explains Guerin. She’s achieved this by honouring the artistry of the past. “The heritage woven tweed we use from Donegal is more than a fabric; it’s a narrative of craftsmanship and tradition. Our coats carry stories that enrich the wearer’s experience,” she explains.
These indigenous fabrics made using time-honoured techniques are fluently reimagined with precision cuts and directional detailing. Guerin reveals that her journey as a designer has involved “a continuous process of distillation”. “I’ve learned that great design is as much about what you leave out as what you put in; it’s about stripping away the unnecessary, honing in on what truly matters, and finding the perfect balance between form and function.”
Indigenous fabrics made using time-honoured techniques are fluently reimagined with precision cuts and directional detailing.
Certainly, there’s a temperance to The Landskein’s aesthetic that only adds to its desirability, yet alongside this restraint plays out an indulgent palette of burgundy, navy, ivory, aubergine and cocoa, which adds an extra dimension to the textural herringbone tweeds woven by father-and-son team Shaun and Kieran Molloy in Ardara. “Each piece in the collection is designed not just to be worn but to be experienced,” says Guerin. “The collection is an invitation to discover your own story within the weave, to find a piece that resonates with your sense of style and identity,” she adds.
It’s also “a comprehensive exploration of tailoring” with a coat to suit every silhouette as well as every style personality. Highlights include the dramatic Theo coat cut from an oversized navy and cocoa herringbone and the floor-sweeping Celeste coat in crisp white herringbone with matching scarf. “The burgundy herringbone stands out for me,” says Guerin. “It’s interwoven with subtle hues of blue and navy to create a richly nuanced shade. We’ve crafted it into two distinct styles: the Eden, a floor-grazing tailored coat, and the Cusack, a mid-length version, which echoes the same elegant lines.”
This month marks something of a milestone for Guerin as The Landskein turns five years old. Growth has been organic and driven by careful budgeting and strategic decision-making, with many challenges and struggles along the way, the designer reveals. “Looking back, the difficult moments were a gift because they taught me resilience and gave me a deep understanding of my business from the ground up.”
Today, The Landskein is sold online, stocked in Brown Thomas, several luxury Irish boutiques and in stores as far afield as New York, Aspen, Philadelphia and Turin. Guerin also has a showroom where clients can schedule visits and explore the entire collection, trying on every size and style if they like. “This allows me to engage directly with my customers, which really enriches the design process as it helps me to identify which pieces most resonate with them. And clients are often surprised to find themselves choosing pieces they hadn’t initially considered. This personal connection can be transformative for both me and them.”
This article originally appeared in the Sunday Business Post, August 2024