spring 2011 – Page 5

Kaelen Farncombe – New York – Spring 2011

If we learned one thing it is that Ms. Farncombe is not afraid to take on a tough to translate inspiration. She stated that the impetus for her Spring 2011 collection was a tornado-chasing trip.

story by Aya Rosen
photos by Ned Rosen

Young designer, Kaelen Farncombe launched her line, Kaelen, with a debut collection last season. It received a very warm reception from the fashion press, and more importantly she was picked up by the influential national chain Intermix. With this, her sophomore season, she looked to build on that momentum. If we learned one thing it is that Ms. Farncombe is not afraid to take on a tough to translate inspiration. She stated that the impetus for her Spring 2011 collection was a tornado-chasing trip. The clothes were designed to reflect the chaotic weather patterns and the rapid change between calm and storm. She managed to maintain her elegant lines and minimalist style, while adding fascinating subtleties using representations of dirt, damage, mess, and drama in her designs. Continue reading “Kaelen Farncombe – New York – Spring 2011”

Risto Bimbiloski – Spring 2011 – New York

This season the talented designer deviated from the expected, constructing a collection based more on flowing silk jacquard than knits. Mr. Bimbiloski cited his inspiration to be images from a telescope of the moon, and was influenced by its mystery and timeless beauty.

story by Rachel Gill
photos by Ned and Aya Rosen

Risto Bimbiloski is a designer who has earned extensive recognition for his excellent knitwear creations. However, this season the talented designer deviated from the expected, constructing a collection based more on flowing silk jacquard than knits. Mr. Bimbiloski cited his inspiration to be images from a telescope of the moon, and was influenced by its mystery and timeless beauty. Continue reading “Risto Bimbiloski – Spring 2011 – New York”

John Bartlett – Spring 2011 – New York

Bartlett himself explains the collection: “I looked to the late 1970’s for this collection, really with my favorite models from that era like Rick Edwards and Jeff Aquilon. We have the whole khaki story going on with a hint of safari. It’s a true throwback collection with a nod to today”.

story by Michael Fragoso
portrait by Sandy Ramirez
lookbook photos provided by the designer

The John Bartlett presentation was held in a chic West Village townhouse filled with various tail wagging dogs to greet the masses at the door. The collection revealed a presentation of bright colors for his Spring 2011 collection. Looks ranged from extreme beach wear, tight speedos in khaki and olive green, to shirts and shorts of bright orange and pinks that screamed tropical. After the pool looks, Mr. Bartlett’s collection took a dressy yet casual turn with light blazers of denim and cotton with cargo shorts that looked simple, elegant, and ready for the Hamptons. The standouts from the collection were the shirts and pants printed with a camouflage pattern that upon closer inspection was revealed to be shapes of Bartlett’s own dog, Tiny Tim. Continue reading “John Bartlett – Spring 2011 – New York”

Simon Spurr – Spring 2011 – New York

story by Brandon Ruckdashel
photos by Adrianna Favero

Simon Spurr’s Spring 2011 collection is clean, crisp, pressed, and well tailored. The understated Mr. Spurr creates for himself and his own closet, drawing inspirations from both Savile Row and British historical military dress. This approach becomes more hampered by it’s nature than it’s presentation, as he prefers to dilute those inspirations. A suit, by definition, is “timeless” and thus a well designed suit will stay by a man’s side and hold his shoulders up as time takes its toll. All of the collection’s pieces were well executed with fabrics created under development deals and exclusive to the label. Mr. Spurr’s gaunt composition, however, cuts so tightly that the discernment of garment and model becomes difficult. Continue reading “Simon Spurr – Spring 2011 – New York”

Fratelli Rossetti – Spring 2011 – New York

George Esquivel may be the hottest American shoe designer working today. His couture pieces have graced the feet of dozens of some of the most famous men and women around. Fratelli Rossetti has been around since 1953 and has a reputation for producing footwear and other goods using the highest quality of materials and workmanship in the world (with a generous helping of Italian flair, of course). How would these two cobblers from different shores combine? Effortlessly.

story by Seth Friedermann
interview by Sandy Ramirez
portraits by Sandy Ramirez
product photos provided by the designer

George Esquivel embraces the Fratelli Rossetti Legacy

George Esquivel may be the hottest American shoe designer working today. His couture pieces have graced the feet of dozens of some of the most famous men and women around. Fratelli Rossetti has been around since 1953 and has a reputation for producing footwear and other goods using the highest quality of materials and workmanship in the world (with a generous helping of Italian flair, of course). How have these two cobblers from different shores combined? Effortlessly. Continue reading “Fratelli Rossetti – Spring 2011 – New York”

Loris Diran – Spring 2011 – New York

In Loris Diran’s Spring 2011 collection we see something of that new life energy. Admitting that his previous collections had been received as “too couture, too classic,” Diran has taken a lighter, more relaxed direction, breathing an alternate energy into his ever-innovative line.

story by Brandon Ruckdashel
photos by Sandy Ramirez

Spring is often a time for a return to the basics, cleaning out of clutter, and rain showers washing away dust and ushering in palpable energy of nature giving birth to new life. In Loris Diran’s Spring 2011 collection we see something of that new life energy. Admitting that his previous collections had been received as “too couture, too classic,” Diran has taken a lighter, more relaxed direction, breathing an alternate energy into his ever-innovative line. Continue reading “Loris Diran – Spring 2011 – New York”

Michael Angel – Spring 2011 – New York

Michael Angel is a smart man who does things smartly. A designer who has a known signature in his play with multi-hued prints, he constantly challenges himself to retain that calling card while staying fresh season after season. It is a tribute to Angel’s imagination and his talent that he succeeds.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry

Victor de Souza – Spring 2011 – New York

Victor de Souza’s third collection continued the development of the construction techniques and fabric choices that are quickly becoming recognizable as his personal signatures.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Nico Iliev provided by the designer

Victor de Souza’s third collection continued the development of the construction techniques and fabric choices that are quickly becoming recognizable as his personal signatures. His love of beautiful rich fabrics and pairing the freedom of long flowing cuts with very stiff shoulder pieces continued in this Spring 2011 collection. It is a very promising sign from this young talent that he even has signatures at this point, as often it takes young designers a few seasons to find those touchstones that they cleverly reinvent yet consistently revisit again and again. However, Mr. de Souza did not simply trot out a bunch of pieces from his past that he knew were winners. There were very definitive attempts to experiment and grow inside of his established aesthetic. Continue reading “Victor de Souza – Spring 2011 – New York”

Alejandro Ingelmo – Spring 2011 – New York

It’s not easy to combine old school glamour with the more recent appearances in fashion of wedges and multi-strapped stilettos without getting lost in the contrived and, well, the overly trendy.

story by Sarah Patterson
photos by Adrianna Favero

Alejandro Ingelmo’s spring 2011 footwear presentation, which also marked the official opening of his 51 Wooster Street store, was a coolly modern, yet undeniably heated display of rounded toe platforms and slick men’s sneakers. It’s not easy to combine old school glamour with the more recent appearances in fashion of wedges and multi-strapped stilettos without getting lost in the contrived and, well, the overly trendy. Nevertheless, Ingelmo’s ability to creatively layer materials for dimensionality, such as patent leather over suede or alongside stretch nappa leather, as well as his commitment to the artisanal aspects of shoemaking, keeps this collection right on point. Continue reading “Alejandro Ingelmo – Spring 2011 – New York”

Zoe Twitt – Spring 2011 – New York

Warrior priestess, meet summer goddess of sun and sand.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

Zoe Twitt had unfinished business. The sexy warrior “high priestess” concept which inspired her Fall 2010 collection hadn’t packed up and left her imagination. She felt that collection only told half the story. Her solution? Finish the job with the Spring 2011 line. Warrior priestess, meet summer goddess of sun and sand. A softer and very sensual style pervaded the collection. “The aesthetic has changed in the way that now I’m using all light colors and pastels, where as last season I was all dark and very linear.” That wasn’t the only way that Ms. Twitt had grown, however. With the move from rawness to sophistication came a definite increase in complexity, and her talent appears to have elevated her work significantly. Continue reading “Zoe Twitt – Spring 2011 – New York”