3 minute read
True colours
from GOODWOOD | ISSUE 22
by Uncommonly
“I wanted to celebrate and champion these truly inspiring female jockeys by creating something that will give them extra confidence and optimism,” explains the fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić, when asked how she set about creating racing silks for this year’s Magnolia Cup – a much-loved event held on Ladies’ Day at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, when amateur riders take to the course to raise money for charity.
Racing silks traditionally feature the colours of the horse’s owners. They are heraldic, often originating with the colours of aristocratic owners’ coats of arms – although today they’re more likely to proclaim which leading stable has trained the horses. But for all their pageantry, they’re also practical: designed to be easily recognisable when viewed from the stands amid a posse of fast-moving riders and horses. For the Magnolia Cup, however, the silks are one-offs, created to reflect the blend of glamour, determination and camaraderie that characterises the race. They are as much a part of the éclat of Ladies’ Day as the smart dresses, hats and, dare we say it, fascinators worn by the well-dressed race-going crowd.
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This isn’t Ilinčić’s first foray into designing silks for Glorious Goodwood. “I first engaged with Goodwood back in 2015,” she recalls, as one of “a handful of London-based designers who each created a racing silk for the race. It is so lovely to be given the opportunity once again, and this time for all of the jockeys in competition.” Rest assured that the silks worn by this year’s contestants, which will be revealed on the big day, have all the impact of an Ilinčić runway show. “They are all repurposed from my recent archive,” the designer says, “highlighting some of my favourite prints in bright colours.”
After studying architecture and design in Serbia, Ilinčić came to London to study fashion at Central Saint Martins. She launched her eponymous ROKSANDA collection in 2005 and quickly became renowned for her spectacular use of colour and pattern in clothes exuding femininity, glamour and poise: qualities that gained her an international following, including former First Ladies Michelle Obama and Melania Trump, the Duchess of Cambridge and Hollywood stars such as Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett and Emily Blunt.
“My collections are always led by vibrant colour combinations, prints and volumes,” Ilinčić explains. This season she wanted to “acknowledge our collective grounding and the comfort-bringing protective layers we cocoon ourselves in, while retaining a sense of lightness and beauty”.
The Magnolia Cup isn’t just about colour and beauty. It is an opportunity for amateur riders to train and compete seriously, and an important fundraising moment for charity. Ilinčić doesn’t ride, “but my niece Lulu de Mesquita is a professional rider, and is responsible for making me fall in love with horses and races. Watching her compete is always a highlight in the family calendar.”
Ilinčić was keen to support the beneficiary of this year’s race, The Brilliant Breakfast. “A charity run by women to support women speaks dearly to me. Goodwood brings together community, sports and charity – in such a stylish way. I am looking forward to attending this year’s race!” The Magnolia Cup will take place on Ladies’ Day as part of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, July 26-30.
Fashion designer Roksanda Ilinčić has brought her trademark glamour and poise to the racing silks she has created for the Magnolia Cup on Ladies’ Day at Goodwood
Words by James Collard
