Who started it? Una Burke is from a small village in western Ireland and is the sole designer behind her eponymous label. A few years after completing a fashion artefact MA at the London College of Fashion (LCF), Burke was creating pieces for Lady Gaga's Monster Ball tour. In 2009, Burke's Retreat collection, exploring human trauma through sculpted leather pieces reminiscent of body braces and armour, was awarded the LCF Off Catwalk Award for Design. Burke has since featured in fashion magazines such as Italian Vogue, i-D, Dazed & Confused and Dolce Vita.
Why we love it: defying categorisation, Burke's work is emotive, innovative, versatile and comfortable in a variety of contexts. For spring-summer, she has created a dramatic accessories line that is softer and more wearable than previous collections while retaining her hard and edgy aesthetic. The collection includes headwear, epaulettes, corsets, belts and jackets handmade from vegetable-tanned leather and pinned with studs. We particularly love the contrast created when these are worn with soft, flowing dresses or tops. Colours range from deep berry to olive brown and soft rose pink.
What we'd pick: we love the dark berry-coloured Epaulette jacket (HK$8,200), the soft pink Hunchback jacket (above left; HK$13,500) and the brown Shoulder Holster jacket (left; HK$7,400).
Where can you get it? Una Burke is available at Joyce, Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 2523 5944.
