Ready to bloom with style? Lafayette 148's Emily Smith found inspiration in an unexpected place: her garden! This summer, Smith, along with her design team, retreated to her upstate New York home to cultivate ideas for their pre-fall collection. Smith's journey into gardening, a quest for work-life balance, surprisingly sparked a new creative passion.
Smith's approach to gardening, focusing on experimentation rather than perfection, became the cornerstone of the collection. The team translated this hands-on approach into wearable art. Imagine flowerbeds transforming into gridded prints on comfortable leisure suits, the textures of Chantilly cross-stitch knits mirroring the beauty of foxglove and lupin flowers, and raffia baskets inspiring embellishments on a cropped jacket and minidress.
And this is where the colors come alive! Smith's new hobby introduced vibrant hues, such as poppy orange and hydrangea blue, combined with earthy browns. These colors, inspired by her 12 flourishing flower beds, breathe life into the luxury American brand's latest designs. The collection also blends masculine and feminine elements, featuring chambray and denim workwear reminiscent of gardening attire.
"The challenge to the team was, get out there, bring your pens and papers and, we got some paintings," Smith shared. They even created a scarf adorned with everyone's illustrations. To stay true to the brand's identity, Smith ensured the prints were bold, graphic, and unapologetically New York. Think large-scale watercolor iris prints, hand-painted in the garden, gracing a minimalist silk linen frock and adding flair to an apron shirt and pencil skirt.
Smith sums it up perfectly: "Gardening has become a source of happiness — for me, and now for my team. This collection invites you to share in that joy." The collection offers a range of feminine, calming, and elegant garments designed for comfortable living.
What do you think? Does this unique approach to design inspire you? Share your thoughts on how nature can influence fashion in the comments below!
