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Whimsical. Playful. Cutesy, yet cool... Those were the words that instantly popped into my mind after seeing Rachel Antonoff's collection last Saturday morning in the West Village. As I worked my way up the stairs to the quaint brownstone where Antonoff staged her presentation, I initially wasn't sure of what to expect from the largely self-taught designer.
You should know by now that Au Courant Studio is a big, big fan of Acne! The Stockholm-based creative team never does anything shabbily, so I know their Spring/Summer 2011 online presentation is going to be something worth watching.
Sunday evenings will never be the same...
NB Image courtesy Acne
I often think that young labels tend to head in one of two directions, either delivering a copy of a more classic, established line, or a creating a simplistic, throwaway set of basics.
Thankfully, Alex Casertano's SS2011 collection reveals a designer with an ability to walk the fine line in-between; his pieces are indeed basic, but not in the cheap way that warrants a replacement every season. And yet, they are simultaneously classic without being stodgy versions of what's already on the market.
In fact, the modernist designer used elements from his contemporary art and architecture background to produce a sharp collection of menswear-inspired separates that brought a crisp, utilitarian take on the city-girl's wardrobe. With a restrained palette and simple lines, Casertano SS2011 is traditional sportif, but for the younger set.
This is a thinking designer; there were no gimmicks, no bells and whistles - in fact, Casertano showed at the bare bones Benrimon Contemporary gallery in Chelsea, setting his girls on raw concrete bricks under bright overhead lights - and after reviewing his presentation last week, I greatly appreciated that his collection offered things to wear at every point of the day...
The standouts had to be the jackets on show - the Raw Silk + Taffeta number, with it's sleek finish and semi-cropped cut, is definitely a must buy for Spring. Ditto on the cocktail-length dresses and skirt pieces that were both work appropriate and party-ready.
NB Images copyright © 2010 Au Courant Studio, LLC, All Rights Reserved
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Whit's bright and breezy collection was just what I needed to see on a rather drab Thursday afternoon in NY.
Trekking through Chelsea to the CECO Studios for my first presentation of the S/S2011 season, I knew that Whitney Pozgay's fledgling label was chock full of basic pieces and covetable separates, but I wasn't expecting to be absolutely charmed by the ethnic elements, delicate tribal prints and handbags on show.
In a brief post-show interview with Pozgay, she warmly divulged her sources of inspiration for the collection. "Well, I spent most of my summers on the beach in California and that definitely influenced me" she shared. "I remember how we used to put on zinc oxide sunscreen like African face paint, thinking we were cool! So I drew on that for the spring collection, and did a lot of research on the face painting of various African tribes for direction."
In fact, the prints used on Whit's drawstring totes, turbans and sun dresses were exclusively designed by friends of Pozgay for the collection; mostly done in easy cottons and natural materials, it lent a touch of vibrancy to the casual set. And although each piece was quite desirable on its own, those drawstring totes and streamlined clutches kept calling my name.
"We just did a little capsule collection of accessories for spring, really. We're pacing ourselves and growing the brand slowly, and we thought it would be a nice touch to do some bags in the tribal prints!" Pozgay shared.
Here's to hoping that Whit eventually decides to extend that capsule range into a full-fledged set of accessories in the near future!
NB Images copyright © 2010 Au Courant Studio, LLC, All Rights Reserved
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Last Wednesday night, all the hipster kids and their crews headed over to BlindBarber on the LES for Stylelikeu's Pre-Fashion Week shindig, and it was well worth the long walk up 14th street to Avenue C.
With everyone snapping pics of each other and feting the personal fashion site that features some of the most original style around these days, it made for a fitting way to start Fashion Week in NY.
Beyond ogling the inspirational ensembles - loved the lady with the major 'fro in black-n-white - and far-out characters in attendance, I finally got a chance to thank Stylelikeu's Co-Creative Director Eliza Goodkind (on my left in the first pic) for snapping the forthcoming Stylelikeu interview of yours truly that inspired me to start my own personal style + art blog, Au Courant: Distilled!
And just as a side note, if you're a cool dude who's into getting the twenties-era salon treatment (read: shaves with a straight razor and shaving soap in a near-authentic, old-world space) head forthwith to Blindbarber: The experience is supposed to be one of the coolest things on the East Side, these days.
NB Images copyright © 2010 Au Courant Studio, LLC, All Rights Reserved
