Weightless, unburdened, renewal. Those words are hand-written in Starr Hout and Laura Cramer’s spring 2022 collection notes, followed by photos of sandy skin, olive trees, and turquoise water in Palma, Mallorca. The duo regularly present their booklet of inspirations—or “obsessions,” as they say—long before they dive into the clothing itself. They’re chasing a feeling at Apiece Apart, eschewing obscure references and concepts to think deeply about the ways clothing might soothe, uplift, and liberate us.
After an emotionally heavy 18 months, this season’s chosen terms conjure the calmer, uninhibited feeling of “post-pandemic” bliss, even if that isn’t quite our reality yet. Some of the garments are in fact weightless: a marigold gown “drips” from the shoulders in sheer, airy gauze; crisp poplin camp shirts billow over ribbed bras and tanks; and open-weave knits feel surprisingly light in a downy cotton-cashmere blend. The label’s best-selling trousers were cut longer, looser, and lower on the hip, and the tiered and ruffled dresses of the past were similarly pared back. In place of that decoration was a surprising bit of sultriness: Ankle-length skirts had wide panels of smocking to hug the waist, while ditsy floral dresses revealed slivers of skin at the midriff and lower spine. Designers are bringing sexy back left and right this season, but finding cut-outs and body-con shapes at Apiece Apart—a brand that designs for real life, not for the runway—is all the proof we need that the movement is sticking.
