view the full collection in our Photo Gallery
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
web editor Rachel Reneé
Rachel Roy likes to mine a good inspiration. For her Fall 2012 collection, Mrs. Roy was smitten with a film about women landscape architects and what their unique senses and approaches brought to their art. Mrs Roy has a unique approach as well, so although the color palette was mostly derived from terra firma, as one would expect, she still managed surprise in both concept and execution.
The collection possessed a very comfortable and cozy feel, with rich substantial textiles that looked sure to keep next year’s winter winds at bay. Although there were many “earth tones,” there were plenty of vibrant hues that included greens, teals, yellows, and a positively radiant purple that was present on six of the looks. The lengths for this collection were also a mixed range from thigh high to floor length. Plenty of jackets, coats, pants, skirts, and shirts populated the collection, along with a few dresses. The completeness in color, length, and variety is really a testament to how Mrs. Roy builds her collections. She possess a total understanding of her client and desires to give her beautiful pieces to wear for every moment of her day and night.
The single most compelling element of the collection was Mrs. Roy’s play with horizontal lines and linear structure. It was present in almost every look and it generated a cohesiveness that added great strength to the collection. She created strata, just as one would find during excavation, and even went so far on a few pieces as to add little irregular sections of color in-between the layers, signifying mineral deposits. It was that marvelous bit of imagination that put the collection over the top.
Rachel Roy’s Fall 2012 collection is a great example of what happens when a designer uses her inspiration across each and every piece. Adjusting to the needs of each particular design and fabric, but determined to ensure that the work is understood as a complete expression derived from a single source. Such thoroughness by a skilled artisan almost always pays off handsomely, and this time it unearthed a rich vein of warm and luxurious clothing.
