“It’s a bit different than what I’ve done before,” Nili Lotan said during a preview of her noticeably pared-down pre-fall collection. “I always do things very intuitively and then ask myself why, rather than seeing something and saying, ‘OK, I’m going to do that.’ I’m very intuitive when it comes to the designs and running the business.”
In the past, the designer has rooted inspirations in ‘60s and ‘70s references, which she described as “drawing back from a very comfortable period in myself — growing up and creating my own style, understanding what I like and don’t while becoming an adult.” For pre-fall, Lotan shifted gears to the ’90s, recalling when she started her career in New York and was inspired by the minimalist works of Calvin Klein, Jil Sander and Martin Margiela.
Across men’s and women’s, clean tailoring and a neutral palette were focal points, evident through sleek suiting (for women, blazers came with slim trousers, midi skirts and suiting shorts); body-hugging tank tops and T-shirts, and luxe roomy outerwear. Elsewhere, the designer mixed signature “rock ’n’ roll” with refined leather jackets and updated military cargo pants — overall, the layered-up lineup exuded modern minimalism with sophistication and a tomboy attitude.
“The men’s line is a natural extension of my design philosophy, vocabulary and world. I sought to provide a man with what I’ve done for women; timeless, nonchalant and elevated wardrobe essentials that transcend time,” she said of the new men’s assortment, specifically a favorite trenchcoat atop a white shirt and gray cashmere sweater.
Other newness for the season came through new croc-embossed leather handbags — an extension of the category she launched in early December — along with the news of opening three brick-and-mortar locations in New York and Los Angeles in mid-December and January.
