Summer 2021 can’t come fast enough for Sarah Staudinger. Instead of dwelling on the vacations she missed this year, she designed a pre-fall 2021 collection for her first post-pandemic getaway. Beach cabanas, striped towels, and yacht clubs dotted with sailboats inspired this season’s colorful patterns, nautical grommet details, and experiments with nylon. A pair of board shorts and a quarter-zip dress both came in the performance fabric, and there were matching bucket hats and bags to finish the regatta-ready looks.
While she mentally escaped to the seaside, Staudinger stayed local when it came to her standout print. She collaborated with Los Angeles–based illustrator Michael McGregor on the nautical flag motif: “It’s kind of like our world flag of peace, love, and happiness,” she said.
Staudinger also incorporated touches of old-school prep and ’80s hip-hop, seen in a patchwork oxford and her signature matching sets. As for footwear, the mid-calf chunky garden boots and Teva-inspired sandals reflected the 2020 trend for comfy, outdoorsy shoes. “Hopefully we’ll be able to travel,” she added. “If not, she’ll be wearing these clothes feeling optimistic.”
Sustainability was on Staudinger’s mind too. She said half of this collection was made from recycled fabrics, and she plans to push this ratio higher going forward.
