SYMBIOTIC STYLE
As Brad wrote in his menswear post, “Today brands need to create an environment. They must provide an experience. They also should portray a lifestyle to get consumers to pay attention and purchase what they are selling.”
I choose my favorite womenswear brands based not on a lifestyle they create, but the lifestyle they cater to. The most revolutionary labels are the ones that observe and see the market, notice a space–an area that is lacking–and seek to fill it.
That being said, with each consumer comes a set of her own unique experiences, a story created as it is told. The best brands realize that their customers may not clothe themselves head-to-toe in one label, but instead pick and choose. A top from here, a pair of jeans from there, trusty sneakers, and so on… The New Woman takes on the characteristics of each brand they wear and these ideas, like puzzle pieces, come together to create a whole, individualized story.
There are brands that repurpose and rework vintage clothing to fit the modern consumer. There are brands who seek to provide the clothing you fall in love in, and others who want to create pieces you fall in love with. Companies in LA, London, and France; labels run by brothers, actresses, and festival-goers. All brands that give, not just take.
Here are the 12 brands we are really digging at the moment. Note: some of these brands offer menswear, too. The more, the merrier!
[+] RIALTO JEAN PROJECT
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“Denim Doing Good.” The mantra of Erin Feniger’s vintage denim brand, known as RJP, serves as its testament to utilizing fashion to make a difference. Erin scouts out ethically-sourced vintage denim, military wear, and more and turns them into works of art, representing the brand’s dedication to art therapy programs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and New York–Presbyterian Hospital.
