Her sense for time-honored artisanal practices took center stage at her presentation in Fitzrovia today; the first looks to greet guests as they came through the door of her showroom were pretty pink dresses hand-painted with an ombré effect and embroidered with delicate fringing and marabou feathers. That said, there was nothing precious about Wauchob’s couture-like evening looks; each frock swung loosely around the body with the ease of a T-shirt. The Irish designer is hardly known for an exuberant palette—Wauchob tends to express herself in monochromatic brushstrokes—yet something about the youthful energy of the British capital has put her in the mood for color. Tinged with lipstick-red dye, her signature crushed pleated pants had new allure. They were a nice complement to pussy-bow blouses that were styled with unfussy nonchalance—left undone at the neck instead of neatly tied in a bow.
Even bigger changes are afoot for the indie label: Wauchob is bowing out of traditional seasons, with plans to show during the menswear schedule in June. It’s a move other young designers around the globe are making, too—Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, and most recently Alexander Wang have all pulled out of the February and September Fashion Weeks to sync up with a pre-collection production cycle. Wauchob will mark the occasion by introducing new collaborators into her design studio—the talented tailors of Savile Row. The partnership is sure to take her laidback suiting to the next level, with a combination of bespoke and off-the-peg pieces on offer. She's also launching an affordable capsule collection comprised of everyday renderings of her more complex fashion ideas—sweatshirts embroidered with fringe, cozy cotton knits with peekaboo cut-outs, and breezy, printed silk tees—another clever business maneuver.
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