But will they be ready to get out of their sweatpants? That’s fashion’s million-dollar question in 2021. Once we’re finally sprung free from a year in lockdown, will women crave excess and exhibitionism, or will they shrink from it?
The answer is probably both, but there’s one thing that Lippes is betting on: “I think women have gotten used to being comfortable,” he said from his showroom, which is a convenient walk from that soon-to-be store. “Our internal challenge is how to engage them.”
To start, he met the challenge by thinking differently about materials. A Japanese denim, for example, was dyed an unexpected shade of light pink here in New York, and cut into sailor-front pants and a matching sleeveless peplum top, while a black denim button-down and pencil skirt were treated to Swarovski pearl buttons.
An Italian jacquard with no fewer than 12 different colors of yarns—the sort of thing one might’ve once used for a fancy dress—was cut into Bermuda shorts and a safari jacket.
Other pieces more straightforwardly emphasized a sense of ease. A pretty printed silk dress in shades of blue and white fell gracefully to the ankles from a softly elasticized waist, and a white silk crepe dress with vintage buttons accenting its single sleeve was caftan-like in attitude.
Not a hint of excess anywhere. That said, Lippes isn’t opposed to a flash of legs. His take on the shorter silhouette we’re starting to see around town came in A-line white denim with those special vintage buttons.
