“It’s a feminine elevation of bookish sartorial codes of the beatnik,” Lafayette 148 creative director Emily Smith said of the brand’s fall collection. Smith found a balance for fall between brand signatures and playful, modern newness by evolving classics with “touches of nonchalance and tactility.”
Plush cashmere knits came with long fringed tassels, while a classic pantsuit came in wisteria purple (as well as black) and a boxy tile blue boyish blazer was paired with a “school uniform” kilt, striped button-down and traditional derby lace-ups came in unexpected, cozy long-hair Italian shearling. The blend of upbeat colors, rich fabrications and nods to uniform dressing and menswear tailoring worked well throughout ready-to-wear and accessories.
The look: An exploration in “the line between masculine and feminine, beatnik and boardroom, collegiate and professional, practical and playful,” collection notes read.
Quote of note: “My secret favorite time period of all times is the beatnik bohemian spirit of the ’50s and ’60s. I’ve always loved the black beret and mindset of not going with the traditional mindset. As we put the collection together, we decided it was this dialogue between signature sartorial codes, released and liberated through bohemian spirit — making a counter-balance effect,” Smith explained.
Key pieces: Cashmere knit sweaters and shawls with fringed tassels; tartan kilts (both long and to-the-knee) with boyish blazers; colorful suiting and mix-and-match tailoring across the board; roomy men’s overcoats in classic herringbones using certified responsible wool; hand-knit embroidered lace dresses (also seen in subtle embroideries over a slip with shearling coat); shearling footwear and handbags.
The takeaway: The collection combined the best of Lafayette 148’s rich sartorial history, while proposing a new wardrobe of playful-meets-polished luxe attire.
Source: WWD