EGELNICK AND WEBB for HOUSE OF HOLLAND
Toby Egelnick and Malcolm Webb established their London studio in 1999 with the mantra that design should be “intelligent, engaging and memorable”. Integrating their experience in the music and fashion industries, their work is very considered with a sophisticated polish that has naturally drawn the attention of the luxury sector. “We work with brands that appreciate a high-end aesthetic and the leverage this adds in terms of both sales and perception,” says Webb. The studio has a network of creative collaborators who can be called in for specific projects, allowing its core to remain compact, flexible and creatively focused. Within this structure, teamwork is vital to ensure that Engelnick and Webb’s breadth of experience and skills stimulates innovative results. While always focused on the requirements of the client, there is a clear intention to inject a fresh perspective into every project, large or small. This dedication is indicative of an underlying desire to push beyond a client’s immediate impression of what is achievable.
Webb believes there is a “synergistic bond” between all creative disciplines and that graphic and fashion design, “track and echo much of the same trends, developing cohesion between the two disciplines”.
He believes that on most occasions this connection provides a better understanding of the design process and heightens the creative expectations of the fashion client that the design studio must respond to. Webb admits it is a unique priority, tempered only by relatively modest budgets. Egelnick and Webb are able to strike a balance between the creative incentive and financial restrictions and produce particularly inventive results.
Mutual understanding is a basic requirement for any productive creative relationship. “We work closely with the fashion designer to create graphic material that is an extension of their collections,” says Webb. The Autumn/ Winter 2009/10 invitation for House of Holland was a perfect example of this continuity. The collection was a playful yet refined exploration of colour and tonal variation infused with the raw enthusiasm for fashion and self-reflective humour that is expected from House of Holland. Appropriating one of the basic tools of graphic design, the Pantone chip book, the invitation played directly into the collection yet did not subvert anticipation of the catwalk presentation. Stock from a total of eight books was used: uncoated for the invitations to the show, coated for the party after the presentation. As a bonus, to reinforce their individuality each invitation represented a unique colour palette that became evident when guests arrived at the queue to the venue. The effortless balance of the concept belies its sophisticated execution and the impact a single invitation can have on a fashion show.
One of the key strengths of Egelnick and Webb is that rather than imposing a house style they gain inspiration from content and practise a creative process that builds upon it and delivers a seamless message. As a result, their work cannot be fully appreciated in isolation. “Our aim is to always meet a client’s business needs, yet surpass expectations of what can be achieved creatively,” says Webb. “There are always interesting possibilities within every new project. Our clients appreciate our approach, which focuses on delivering aesthetically beautiful design that is bespoke, unique and memorable.” Undoubtedly, it is an approach that will see Egelnick and Webb continue to move from strength to strength.
“We screenprinted the main text of the show and the after party in black over 500 uncoated and 500 coated swatch sheets respectively, with the times, details and sponsor logos on the reverse. The result is a set of invites where only two or three are ever the same, and the job could be described as being printed with 1,050 special colours.”