Functional and fun rarely appear in the same sentence, especially one pertaining to fashion. But in her latest collection for Lorod, Lauren Rodriguez has infused workwear and uniform concepts with a certain level of joie de vivre. It’s not a new leaf for the downtown designer, but it is a shift from the brand’s once-heady studies on abstraction and feeling. The Pre-Fall collection has a sort of instant visual appeal. See a midi dress inspired by A League of Their Own’s costumes, want a midi-dress in creme silk worthy of Madonna. Simple.
Chalk the change up to Lorod’s status as a newly solo venture. After just 18 months, Rodriguez has parted ways with collaborator Michael Freels, shifting the focus oh-so-slightly. The core tenets are still the same: derrière-flattering denim paired with a boxy jacket, cerebral knitwear (this season’s is inspired by a heating layer worn by the Air Force under their flight suits). But there is an easier nature to the line on the whole. Worn by model Sophie Koella in the lookbook and accessorized with tennis sweatbands and a vintage racket, the overall picture has a more social media–friendly spirit without losing its core intellectualism. Let’s see if millennials and Gen Z pick up on it—that coral silk suit begs for an It-girl spin.
