Florals? For spring? Turns out, they can be groundbreaking—at least, that’s what Apiece Apart designers Laura Cramer and Starr Hout felt this season. The duo’s main inspiration revolved around finding beauty in wildflowers; Hout had stumbled upon images of the author Tove Jahnson’s home on the island of Klovharu, Finland, surrounded by such various blooms. They were drawn to their sprightly colors, and the idea of “fresh beginnings.”
As is often the case with Apiece Apart, Hout and Cramer narrowed in an easy, wearable collection of separates to carry out their inspiration. “There’s a lot of petal shapes [in the line],” said Hout, and they came through in pieces like the white, off-the-shoulder crop top with a slightly ruffled hem. “We were thinking of big peony petals,” Hout explained. There were also softer, whimsical floral prints on the summer dresses—including sleek tank shapes, or more billowy off-the-shoulder maxi styles. Hout added, “There’s always a soulfulness when it comes to our prints.”
While the silhouettes were kept clean and largely uncomplicated, the proposal was that bright hues, florals, and stripes can be treated as a neutral—and even mix-and-matched. A striped-two piece set, made up of a sleeveless button-up shirt and billowy wide-leg pants, felt surprisingly subdued and easy to wear. Soft teal or bubblegum pink sweaters could be easily worn with jeans or with dress pants.
Cramer and Hout also ventured into some newer, sexier territory this season. They added peek-a-boo cutouts onto some of the dresses, and experimented with more cropped silhouettes that revealed the body underneath. “We’re getting much more skin-focused,” says Hout. For spring, the pair also reintroduced suiting, like a classic and slouchy single-breasted blazer. While everyday dresses will always be their bread and butter, the pair are looking forward to ramping up their tailoring assortment. “There was a moment [in fashion] when pretty was ruling,” says Cramer. “But now [women] want to look strong.”
