Off-The-Radar Goodness. The Elder Statesman SS19

October 14, 2018October 14, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

The fashion month has just finished, and one can’t forget about the brands that usually stay off-the-radar during those four weeks of runway marathon. They need their spotlight, too! Re-seeing The Elder Statesman‘s look-book few days after all that Paris fashion week fuss is a true pleasure. The Los Angeles-based label, found and designed by Greg Chait, is known for its incredible cashmere goods and love for everything that’s artisanal. But lately, Chait seems to enjoy introducing new additions to his extremely luxurious, yet niche brand. While the Swiss silk, the designer’s discovery from the last season, appears in the form of a gorgeous tie-dye dress, it’s linen that’s lately on Chait’s mind. Sourced and produced in India, the pieces made out of that often underrated material stun with summer-ish colour gradiations. What else is new to The Elder Statesman? Corduroy pants. They look so, so good with a matching yellow sweater. Love.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Free Spirit. The Elder Statesman AW18

February 6, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Elders Statesman autumn-winter 2018 collection is the best prove that the season’s most precious and rare collections don’t need the fashion month rush (just around the corner…) in order to be fully appreciated. Greg Chait‘s knitwear (and not only) brand is for the chilled out people, who love quality, and a certain type of free-spirit present in their environment. “In Topanga, you have all these guys and girls who look like gurus, but I argue that you don’t have to look a certain way to meditate.” Well, who doesn’t love a loosely fit, yet delightful, knitted robe or a very, very fine cashmere pullover in tie-dye? While ‘Meditate‘, ‘Absolute Nirvana‘ and cannabis motif reappeared throughout the collection, one can also note the Kama Sutra positions motif on the fleecy knits. I was also happy to see Jatinder Singh Durhailay (whom I’ve met in Berlin and wrote about few years ago) collaborate on this collection. The artist painted the original miniatures of technicolor yogis that appear as a playful patterned lining. In other words, this collection suddenly makes me feel a great urge for moving to Cali and lead Big Little Lies’ Bonnie kind of life.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Feather-Light. Ryan Roche SS17

September 12, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Ryan Roche is New York’s go-to designer in case of anything connected to timeless, luxurious knitwear. Throughout the few last seasons, she introduced us to the most fleecy, cashmere cardigans and sweaters ever. Also, she’s the modern-day queen of beige – in fact, a majority of her looks are kept in different shades of this warm, underrated colour. Yes, that sounds like a strong foundation for a brand to stay in its comfort zone. But Roche won’t rest on her laurels anytime soon.

Spring-summer 2017 was Ryan’s first runway show, and that let her present a visual experience for he guests. Julian MacKay, a soloist with the Mikhailovsky ballet, travelled from St. Petersburg to stage a dancing performance among the designers’ models dressed in knitted skirts and evening wear. The lightness of those knits is comparable to MacKay’s grace. The clothes were so different comparing to the last seasons, and that felt really exciting about Roche’s outing. Margiela-like, leg-of-mutton sleeves came with white blazers; romantic lace appeared in slip-tops and dreamy, maxi dresses. Cashmere scarves and shawls were worn the Marlene Dietrich way – so soigné! With the help of a new Italian factory, Ryan created her version of a suit – high-waisted trousers cinched at the waist and a semi-cardigan with light knit cables. Seeing Roche on new ground is one of my favourite moments of this New York Fashion Week so far.

Cashmere Drapes, Reconstructed Dutch. The Row Pre-Fall’16

April 26, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen streamed their pre-fall 2016 look-book a week ago, with an over 2 month delay in comparison to other brands. However, it’s just in time before these clothes hit the stores, so on the 1st of May. Breaking news: The Row looks like a brand you will desire this autumn, even though I doubt you’re wondering about the next season knits right now. It’s a multi-layered, cashmere covered wonderland of softness and warmth, draped and reconstructed. Ribbed wool pants and dresses are as usual the The Row’s priority pieces, while the jackets with flowing silhouette look as if they were ripped out of a Dutch still-life portrait. There was a kind of elegant delicacy in this collection, too – a milk-white slip dress with a ruffle at the hem worn with a button-down shirt, updated with puffed sleeves. Statuesque, yet light. The slouchy suede shopper bag ranks up high, too, as one of the best accessories of the season.

Knits Please. Ryan Roche AW16

February 17, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

With her autumn-winter 2016, Ryan Roche proves that her label is not only about the best quality knitwear – it also thinks about other wardrobe essentials. But still, the quintessence of the brand is the signature, cable knit cardigan in pale pink colour. It’s here, as every season, and it doesn’t stop to look like the best sweater in the entire world. Although I haven’t seen any of Roche’s designs in life, I bet their woolly texture should be super soft. With a soft spot for cashmere, specifically, the designer delivered a look-book filled with cozy, knitted (of course) maxi-skirts. Moreover, the collection featured a burgundy dress – smells with Victorian era in here – made entirely thanks to the old-school, granny crotchet technique. It’s a smart, yet short escape from Roche’s minimal aesthetics. It’s distinctly visible that the New York-based designer does her best to move away from her knitted comfort zone, by introducing some graceful, lace pants and peach-pink fur jackets. Concluding, your next winter wardrobe is sincerely supplied with Ryan Roche’s AW16 collection, I guess.