21 Mar Eddie Bauer Partners With Celebrity Stylist Ilaria Urbinati
Eddie Bauer has reunited with celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati to design a limited-edition women’s collection, launching in Fall 2017. Urbinati is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stylists today, making The Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 25 Power Stylists” list for the past four years. The 25-piece collection features iconic styles and patterns that pay homage to Eddie Bauer’s heritage. The collection will be available at select Eddie Bauer stores and online at www.eddiebauer.com in late September 2017.
“On the heels of the successful men’s collaboration in 2015, we are pleased to partner with Ilaria once again,” said Mike Egeck, chief executive officer for Eddie Bauer. “We appreciate the way she has remained true to the brand’s ethos while modernizing some of our classic silhouettes, creating a fresh take on many of Eddie Bauer’s iconic pieces.”
To create the women’s collection, Urbinati pulled from Eddie Bauer’s archive and was inspired by Eddie’s wife, Christine “Stine” Bauer. Stine was an avid outdoorswoman who matched Eddie stride for stride all over the Pacific Northwest and helped introduce local friends, dignitaries and celebrities to outdoor adventure. Through her individual passion for outdoor pursuits, Stine pushed the boundaries of what an outdoor enthusiast looked like, showing that women’s clothing could be rugged, functional and feminine.
A field expert in her own right, Stine was the driving force behind Eddie Bauer’s first women’s outdoor apparel line, making her Eddie’s first female guide. In the mid-1930s, the women’s outdoor market was underserved with very limited apparel, and Stine wasn’t willing to accept that. As Eddie started developing his signature down outerwear, Stine insisted that there be women’s versions of his breakthrough designs. So, the iconic 1936 Skyliner Jacket was made available in women’s sizes and the Eddie Bauer women’s department was born.
“Eddie Bauer’s authentic heritage is what first drew me to the brand,” says Urbinati. “They’ve been outfitting adventurous men and women since the 1920s. I’m thrilled to bring a second collection to life that is inspired by iconic archive pieces and a woman who was so influential in building the company’s history and broader outdoor community.”
With Stine as her inspiration, Urbinati was compelled to create a highly curated collection for the modern woman whose sense of adventure influences her fashion. The collection is comprised of reinterpreted classic outerwear, knits, woven tops, sweaters, bottoms and accessories that feature fall colors, plaids and heritage-inspired patterns. Iconic styles featured in the limited edition collection include the Kara Koram II Parka, first made famous on the renowned American expedition to K2 in 1953, the Blacktail Cropped Bomber that emulates Eddie Bauer’s 1936 Skyliner Jacket silhouette and the Sport Shop Sweater Coat inspired by a cardigan sweater worn by Eddie Bauer in 1928.