High-end fashion designers put balaclavas back on the map in recent years and if you still haven’t fallen in love with them—now’s the time! Designer Mila Textiles is creating the most colorful balaclavas that you’ll ever come across and she’ll change the way you look at this fashion garment.
Balaclavas borrow their name from the Battle of Balaclava, which took place during the Crimean War in the mid-19th century. The British troops tried to fight the cold weather by wearing knitted headgear, leading to the emergence of balaclavas. That’s why this fashion garment is still associated with the military, but it’s been used everywhere from skiing to racing.
The London-based designer Kamila decided to breathe a new life into balaclavas and founded her own brand Mila Textiles shortly after graduating from the London College of Fashion in 2020. She has a degree in fashion textile embroidery and her handmade accessories are embroidered entirely by hand and feature a lot of beaded details.
Kamila says she specializes in “creating playful, abstract wearable art inspired by natural surroundings with a touch of surrealism.” The vibrant hues and textures of her balaclavas are often inspired by corals and marine life, and she uses beads and layers of thread to recreate their beautiful patterns.
