A Peace Treaty has been in business for 10 years, but this marks Dana Arbib’s first Fall collection. She started out making vibrant, far-flung-feeling scarves with materials sourced from around the world, often with handmade details courtesy of artisans in India, Bolivia, Peru, and beyond. Those scarves are still a big part of APT, and the business has helped to preserve many of those heritage crafts. Arbib develops her own textiles and vibrant prints inspired by her adventures, too, and a few years back, she added easy caftans, slip dresses, and other resort pieces to the mix.
Fall 2018, however, is a full-on fashion effort. It’s rooted in relatively simple shapes—silk button-downs, pajama trousers, long-sleeved dresses, and robes—in kaleidoscopic paisleys and foulards. (Arbib pointed out that the artwork for each print is designed by hand and digitally printed, which cuts down on fabric waste.) She’s a skilled colorist, and arty, color-loving women will be drawn in by her unlikely palettes. One group of slip dresses and blouses came in pieced-together strips of sapphire, rust, and emerald scarves; a camel coat was shot through with pale blue checks; and bandana prints came in oddly satisfying swirls of brown, neon pink, and green. There was an unmistakable ’70s vibe to it all, and Arbib namechecked ’70s-era Harlem street photography along with the vibrant work of Brooklyn artist Mickalene Thomas as references. In the video, Arbib re-created that world with a cast of groovy girls (including MAAD) wearing the new collection and singing, dancing, and playing guitar in a recording studio. They look stunning—and utterly relaxed. Any artist or musician will tell you that’s key for a good performance; they want clothes that pack a punch, but still feel easy. Women in New York likely want the same thing from their wardrobe; luckily, Arbib’s lean dresses and pajama separates are suited to all kinds of women, whether you’re up on stage or working in an office.
