Designers often say they’re surprised by the pieces that become best sellers. They’re rarely the ones that fit into a conventional mold of “salable” clothing, nor are they the items they spent extra time developing. Maybe it’s because women have such an emotional relationship with clothes or the fact that we all respond differently to the nuances of a garment. It’s especially true for Starr Hout and Laura Cramer of Apiece Apart, who enjoy a customer base of women who want to look anything but conventional.
Here’s a good example: One of their top-performing colors is “pachu mama,” an olive-tinged brown. Hout joked that brown is never “supposed” to work in retail, but their earth-color dresses and tops fly off the shelves. Another runaway success has been their canvas zippered jumpsuit; Pre-Fall’s came in a “chalky” shade of rose and was cinched with a woven belt. Fashion types probably find that utilitarian look sexy, but it’s certainly not a traditional kind of sexy. “Women still want to look attractive, but they aren’t dressing for men anymore,” Hout said. That might sound simplistic, but, believe it or not, the notion is still catching on for many retailers.
Apiece Apart isn’t lacking for sex appeal, though. Hout and Cramer cut an ultra-sexy high-rise jean, and their printed dresses have the kind of easy, languid drape that translates as alluring. The prettiest ones here came in vibrant Monet-ish prints with scooped necklines, twisted halters, and asymmetric hems.
