The travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 crisis have caused many to daydream about trips past. The world felt like a much grander place when the prospect of jetting from one country to the next was tangible, and this season Nicole Miller found herself thinking back to her last incredible journey. At the very start of the year, Miller was on the road in Thailand with her close friend Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell. The nation and its picturesque beauty served as the inspiration for a pre-fall presentation centered on wanderlust. “I haven’t been anywhere except Sag Harbor for the weekends,” shared Miller via Zoom. “We had the most incredible time traveling through Thailand and Malaysia, so I’ve been dreaming of that last trip. It was the starting point for the whole collection.”
Elements from the voyage made their way onto Miller’s playful separates. The tropical motifs include animal prints, creeping vines, and decorative elephants inspired by the Chiang Rai sanctuary. “We just developed this love for them,” says Miller of her time at the refuge for animals once used in circuses or the logging industry. “You’ll see the elephants throughout, on sweaters and skirts and all the accessories.” The pachyderm patterns are a constant, their most exciting incarnations embroidered onto jean jackets or turned into silver charms that decorate chain link belts.
Sustainability has been top of mind for Miller. This season she’s upcycling the distressed denim that featured prominently on the canvas that the artist Cara Marie Piazza created for the look book’s backdrop; it will be used to create blazers and bags. Piazza was also invited to lend her creativity to the knitwear. “We got her to make a sweater using these all-natural vegetable dyes,” says Miller.
Short skirts, punchy patterns, and soft colors gave the lineup a quality that vibes with Miller’s customers’ current needs. “I cut my dresses down to a minimum because right now the entire world has gone casual,” she says. “By midsummer though I think people will be needing them again or at least wanting to be a little more dressed up.” In response, Miller covered her loungewear in botanical prints or leopard spots for added oomph. On the back of the gamine model Mariana Zaragoza such pieces felt ideal for Gen Z, but those who entered the world before the advent of social media will also see the collection’s charm. An all-black boiler suit and tube-top combination and the tiered lavender ombré dress have enough flair to appeal to all ages.
