Last night, Kristopher and Laura Brock attended the CFDA Awards with Emily Ratajkowski, arguably one of the most influential women in fashion at the moment. Her Instagram account has 17.5 million followers for several reasons: Some of us love her sexy-yet-sweet style, others love her outspoken feminism, and others love, well, everything about her. (EmRata feels empowered, not objectified, by those nearly naked selfies and bikini shots.) And despite the designers’ penchant for wallpaper florals, puff sleeves, and taffeta ruffles, Ratajkowski is definitely a Brock girl, because the clothes are really about romance. Sometimes it’s a little naive, like those milkmaid-y blouses; sometimes it’s a little Old World, particularly in the rich antique fabrics they use; and other times, it’s more deshabille, such as their sheer bustier tops and lacy slips.
For Resort 2019, the Brocks captured that romance better than ever by photographing the collection outdoors in upstate New York. Surrounded by enormous trees and lush flowers (which nearly matched the shades of orange, ivory, and pink in the lineup), the clothes came to life. The evening gowns felt more rustic and grounded, for instance, shot by an old wooden fence, and the endless greenery and beams of sunlight made even the simplest poplin dress look like a painting.
Ratajkowski’s dress was the last one photographed here: a lacy, long-sleeved black number with a corseted waist and antique floral embroidery. The bustier dress is a Brock signature, and there was a softer ivory version of that gown, too. But the duo took the concept of lingerie dressing a bit further: tulle bras layered under gingham silk shirts and raw-edged blazers. Paired with matching trousers or pencil skirts, the results were still pretty covered up; in fact, we can see a lot of New York women wearing the bras, because they feel more like extra-special layering pieces than actual lingerie.
That Brock balance of sex appeal and charm is one of the reasons why so many young women have fallen in love with the brand, often via Instagram (maybe even EmRata’s Instagram). They’ll likely be drawn to the white cotton pieces, such as a pleated shirtdress, a voluminous crop top, and a tiered ruffled skirt. The excellent knits may be a little more expensive, but they’re smart investments; Kristopher pointed out a rounded, unstructured jacket in creamy double-face cashmere as his favorite. It had the ease of an oversize cardigan but could very well be a future heirloom.
