Nicole and Michael Colovos have stopped doing runway shows and moved to a pre-season schedule for sales purposes, as a handful of other New York brands have done. This can have the unintended consequence of removing a label from the fashion conversation—out of sight, out of mind. It’s especially unfortunate in the case of the Colovoses, because their new lineup is one of the best we’ve seen this season: keyed to real life with its focus on denim, but drawing the eye forward with new silhouettes, with the added bonus of being as sustainably made as possible.
The Colovoses won the International Woolmark Prize in February. They did loads of research, sourcing innovative, ecologically made materials from around the world. The resulting capsule collection will be sold at Barneys this August, and they’re incorporating some of the learnings from that project into their main line. They proudly noted that their labels and hangtags are made from recycled materials. If that sounds low stakes, consider the billions of garments sold each year and all the plastic bits that come attached to each and every one of them.
About those new silhouettes: They lean sort of 1980s-ish with their blouson volumes, elevated waistlines, and full tapered legs, though they don’t look retro. A pair of baggy jeans with side-cinching belts were a sell-out for Pre-Fall, so they redid them in a more formal, office-ready fabric for Resort. Other key fabrics were the silky cupro of a jumpsuit and an oversize, robe-like trench, and the washed-cotton poplin of easy dresses. Denim is their obsession, though, and it’s safe to say they’re making the most directional, yet wearable styles around.