NATURAL FIBERS & RECYCLED LEATHERS CRAFTED WITH A MODERN EDGE
Fifth Avenue, NYC
New York Fashion Week, Feb. 8th 2010
Words/Images J. Ecochard
With all the retro we saw these past two seasons…we are so looking forward to seeing designers design with a fresh take on the now.
Our first stop of NY’s Fall/Winter Fashion Week (ten days)…was in a spacious showroom on lower Fifth Avenue in what was once an area of Manhattan famed for showrooms of home décor, exotic rugs and textiles.
NOW it’s also the home of a stylish and edgy (read wearable not vampy), well edited line of separates that have a very Euro vibe to them.
WHAT: A superfine silk wool basics-some with hardwear details (COOL) that are layer friendly,
Chunky hand knit wools---made modern with different textures and flashes of skin…
And amazing mod lace and leather pieces with a gothic edge---all by the twenty-six years old designer, Zöe Twitt.
(Yup, her real name).
Check out these leather pants…with an MO of using recycled leather “it’s tough to find one big piece of leather,” the designer told us…so, she creatively worked a hip biker rocker theme of slashed leather over fitted below the knees black stretch fabric--- that insures a slim silhouettte that is actually comfortable to wear.
This corset with blocked colors gets a functional zipper that just adds POW.
And a multi-functional caftan/blouse/loose jacket…that has sexy and elegant written all over.
And slim silky wool black pants with functional and detail zippers that make these pants a STATEMENT. We bet these pants would sell very well in Paris.
“I was influenced by Gothic…and Vampires.” Hence the collection coined “DARK HEART.”
“And everything is touchable.”
The largely neutral tones of black, a deep purple eggplant, and white add a sense of mystery…other colors wouldn’t work.
TOP PICK: This incredible leather jacket with peaked, puffed shoulders, leg of mutton like sleeves, silver zips as trim…that had us thinking Jane Eyre all moody and romantic.
And with every piece, we also thought…very wearable----including accessories like these opera length armlets.
BONUS POINTS: ALL MADE IN NYC!!!!!
ZÖE TWITT
INFO: Basics available now--- rest ship summer.
PRICES: $120- to around$1000 for the hand knitted sweaters.
WEBSITE & E-Commerce ZOE TWITT