Kate Hundley seems to be getting into her groove.
After shelving her line in 2020 to take a “COVID[-19] break,” the New York-based designer resurfaced for the 2022 resort with a bolder take on the Victorian-infused Americana she’s focused on since her days working for Zac Posen and Ralph Lauren.
While that collection borrowed from Madonna a phase of western glamor in the early 1960s, the singer’s ability to reinvent herself stylistically brought Hundley back online before fall. This time, her ’80s new wave sound hit the right note.
Kate Hundley before fall 2023.
“For me, music is a mood ring for underlying feelings and conflicts. roe vs. Wade was disqualified the day after my last performance, so frankly I was feeling a little angry,” Hundley said.
Cue the fishnet, corsetry and leather.
The latter looked especially stylish as an elongated lace-up biker jacket. Elsewhere, it was cut into strips and pierced with metal rings to form a car wash skirt and minidress.
Drawing inspiration from Japanese armor he found at the Metropolitan Museum, Hundley said he used the technique to explore connection in times of crisis when people “seek support and control to create strength.” The accessories-trained designer carried the theme over to the construction of a patent leather top-handle bag, the first bearing her own name.
Softening things up were the briefs: one came with sequins, another in raspberry jacquard, and the last in black viscose with eyelets following the contours of the body.
Meanwhile, the collection’s wool outerwear featured rounded mid-century lines, save for a studded work jacket. Worn over black flared pants, it set the stage for a more streamlined, cosmopolitan look that Hundley should continue to lean towards.
Kate Hundley before fall 2023.
Strictly direct-to-consumer at the moment, he’s making the collection available for pre-order via his website. And while other smaller designers may compete for retailers’ attention during fashion week, Hundley won’t be on the calendar in February.
“Traditional months have gotten so busy… I don’t want to get lost in the rush of current hours,” he said, noting how the offseason allows him to foster better connections and gauge interest as he looks to expand. wholesale
Kate Hundley before fall 2023.
Kate Hundley before fall 2023.
Kate Hundley before fall 2023.
Source: news.google.com