“I’m a Cancer sun, but my moon and rising signs are Sagitarrius, so I’m always looking for grounding,” Scott Studenberg said over a video call. Despite the state of the world, Studenberg has never seemed cheerier. Chalk it up to a lockdown spent at a friend’s Malibu retreat. It’s easy enough to find inspiration in the balmy waves of Malibu’s cliffside beaches, but it also seems likely he reconnected with his target demo in the types of people who wait out a pandemic in a beach house with a personal chef. (Imagine a green juice–fueled Decameron.)
These vibes suit Studenberg. He likes to keep a bit of distance from the chaotic center of the fashion world. His spring 2021 collection, produced mostly in California, is a return to form for his brand. The irreverent glamour Studenberg and his A-list clients love persists, in hoodies with Opulence and I Own Everything, Everything Is Mine written out in Preciosa crystals. But otherwise there is a less fussed, more natural feel to the lineup. Many of the tie- and dip-dyes seen here were done by Studenberg himself in his outdoor dye studio, and many of the cotton garments come with raw edges. Sure, satins and chiffons in a glitzy blue print feel a bit done-up for a chill day at home, but the ultrathin cotton and cashmere ribbed-knits in taupe and dusty ivory seem right for his loungewear-loving clientele.
Studenberg is also making pieces for celebrity customers who like to turn their green juice runs into paparazzi moments. A long duster coat first modeled by Lady Gaga appeared here in dip-dyed blue-violet and black stripes. Another Gaga homage came in the form of a one-shoulder cashmere number inspired by the way she knots her Baja East skirt into a dress. The most obvious celebrity-destined piece was the semi-sheer golden wetsuit. “An allover sparkly wetsuit, I think it’s important,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t need all that neoprene, especially because the water in Malibu has been on fire lately.” He quoted Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up the Sun:” “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got.” Studenberg has an arrangement in Malibu that suits him. If the rest of us are left wanting, for the shoppers who have that lifestyle too, this collection will click.
