Now that Starr Hout and Laura Cramer have got the Apiece Apart machine running smoothly, the duo seem ready to have a little fun. The latest collection from the brand reiterated most of the signatures that Hout and Cramer have worked so hard to establish in the past few years—versatile knitwear, denim and tailoring, and relaxed separates and dresses infused with a Southwestern aesthetic and a sense of romance. But this outing also evolved the Apiece Apart idiom by introducing a more festive atmosphere.
The shift in attitude was noticeable, first of all, in the collection’s palette. Alongside the standby white, black, navy, and desert neutrals, there were dense shades of yellow and coral, and most eye-popping of all, cochineal fuchsia and pink. Hout and Cramer incorporated these hues into folksy digital prints with an almost three-dimensional vividness. Real texture here was rich as well, with healthy doses of smocking and pleats and lace embroidery, not to mention fabrics rigorously washed down to create a warm, lived-in feel. The standard Apiece Apart cropped jean, for instance, came with a gentle pre-wrinkle courtesy of the garment dye. It was—in the most literal sense—a nice touch. But if you really wanted an invite to the Apiece Apart party this season, it was found in the fringe and multicolored confetti embroidery on the collection’s hand-knits. The mostly matter-of-fact Apiece Apart girl was invited to this soiree; this was she, following a few shots of top-notch mezcal.
