August 6, 2013 |
Ever since she was a little girl Wanda had known that she was special. That she wasn’t like all the other girls. She had a sixth sense. Like the child in that film called The Sixth Sense. Except she couldn’t see people. She could see the future. The future of fashion. So she decided that, one day, when she was fully grown she would devote herself to fashion. And the future. Her name would be Wanda Nylon. And she would save fashionable females the world over from a future of rain. The future was wet but she would ensure that ladies would be dry. Always. And she did. Well, they did. There are two of them behind Wanda Nylon. Neither one of them is called Wanda Nylon. Though there is a real-life Wanda Nylon, who describes herself as a mature cross-dresser and is fabulous, and would look fabulous wearing Wanda Nylon. We know because there is a whole series of YouTube videos of her modelling PVC rainwear. The label, though, are in fact Peter Hornstein and Johanna Senyk. And they did not name Wanda Nylon after Wanda. They named it Wanda because they like the name, and Nylon because it sounded good. They don’t really work with nylon, though. But then Wanda PVC just sounds wrong. Wanda PVC wears those cheap one-off plastic rain-cape things you can buy on Oxford Street for £1. Wanda Nylon is an international jet-setter and seductress who travels with only a clutch to hold her credit card. No umbrella. Hence her need for stylish and effective rainwear. Which is actually the reason why Wanda was born. Senyk couldn’t find a stylish raincoat that was transparent. As she says, “although everybody knows this type of classic coat, there was not one brand that produced it.” And so decided to make some. With Hornstein. To fill the gap. Something a bit 1960s futurism. And then make some from black PVC. And tortoiseshell PVC. And maybe a shiny metallic anorak. And a rain hat. To wear with the raincoats that don’t have hoods. And maybe a top. And a skirt. Made from recycled materials. That can be recycled again. They wanted “to create a product that is ecological, comfortable and affordable without losing touch with the fashion aspect.” And so they did. Making a coat recyclable is not that easy apparently. “It’s a very difficult process and it took us two years to prepare and find the right manufacturers. Today, all our fabrics are made in Europe and almost all the fabrics are recyclable. We are planning to become a 100% recyclable collection – but that takes time.” Not that you would ever recycle a Wanda Nylon coat. Recycling is for milk bottles, not sensual fashions. These are also great for flashing. Though maybe not the transparent ones. No element of surprise.
by Natalie Dembinska
