Tina Lutz and Marcia Patmos understand that sweaters can be a hard sell in the springtime. So this season they worked extra diligently to expand people's definition, using stitchery, texture, and natural fibers to create pieces light and airy enough for an ideal summer day. A racerback mesh tank, a drapey sleeveless pullover, or a chalk-colored cardigan with some built-in swing should woo even come May.
During resort, the duo debuted woven separates to complement their knitwear, and here were dresses of simple perfection, easy silken wrap pants, and drop-crotch shorts on offer.
And if you still need enticing—did we mention Lutz and Patmos' guilt-free shopping incentive? Each season, they have worked with a guest designer to create a special piece; for Fall, for instance, it was Jane Birkin. They've really broken out of the box with their latest very unique guest: none other than the Nobel Prize-winning Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, Desmond Tutu. "It's a totally different collaboration," Lutz said. "He's not a style icon, but a moral icon." The duo came up with a look inspired by the peace lover's clerical robes. "He didn't want to design," Lutz explained, stating perhaps the obvious, "but he wanted to support the project." A significant portion of the proceeds from its sales will be donated to the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre and the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust in South Africa. "In these times, it felt right to use fashion to support good," Lutz said. We second that emotion.
