Beaufille, the Toronto-based label helmed by sisters Chloé and Parris Gordon, has been gaining traction with retailers, editors, and It girls in recent seasons. But chances are many of them don’t actually know where the name Beaufille (pronounced bo-fee) comes from. It’s a term the Gordons came up with by mashing together the French words beau and fille—so “handsome girl,” a nod to the masculine-feminine contrasts at the heart of their label. Many brands will cite a similar ethos, but Beaufille’s artisanal touches; inventive fabrics; and long, lean silhouettes give it an edge.
For their first Resort collection, the Gordons zeroed in on their strengths and set out to design easy, transitional pieces in the Beaufille spirit. That meant heavy satin slip dresses with underwire stitching, a detail they carried over from Fall ’17, and a few refined, pared-back skirt and dress options for the holiday party circuit. Beaufille is also known for statement tailoring, and here the jackets were gently sculpted with boning through the hips.
The biggest news was shirting, a category Chloé mentioned expanding on for Spring ’18. Their shirts weren’t deconstructed or oversize, as is the current trend; instead, they came in a smooth, silky cotton with mutton sleeves or a shoulder-skimming neckline. Parris explained that their shirts and blouses are typically inspired by men’s clothing from the 17th and 18th centuries, when powerful guys wore ruffles and frills. “That’s sort of what Beaufille is about,” she said. “Clothes that look feminine but actually come from menswear.”
