A collection appointment on Zoom feels particularly unnatural for Lela Rose. Pre-pandemic, the designer rarely missed an opportunity to throw a party, whether it was during Fashion Week or a more low-key season, like pre-fall. There were always canapés, cocktails, and gorgeous flowers, plus models who looked like they were actually having fun. It was nice to see the clothes as they’d actually be worn IRL, surrounded by friends and fun—not on a distant runway.
Rose is itching to throw another party again when it’s safe—possibly next summer, when this collection will be arriving in stores and many of us will be vaccinated. With outdoor get-togethers and intimate at-home soirees in mind, she narrowed her focus to dresses, tailoring, and even jeans—a first for this designer—that you could just as easily wear with Birkenstocks as with a teeny-tiny heel, as seen in the look book. The silhouettes were easy and unrestrictive: Midi-dresses came with “sunburst ruching” at the side for a touch of shape, while vibrant floral gowns were cut in sheer cotton voile, not silk. Rose even described one of her fancier items, a straight saffron column with lace appliqués, as having the fit of a towel you’ve just wrapped around your body.
There was never going to be a sweatshirt or legging here. Rose’s sense is that women will be excited to ditch their pajamas and get dressed up again—just not in a way that looks out of touch. A group of fine-gauge knit dresses with subtle rickrack details might have nailed the ideal balance of expressive yet easy. In shades of orchid and color-blocked ivory and blue, they’re the kind of dresses you’d wear constantly: barefoot on the couch, or with strappy sandals for a small wedding. Women will be searching for those hardworking pieces in 2021, particularly those who are becoming more mindful of their consumption and vowing to get more use out of their clothes.
