Suzanne Rae’s eponymous Spring/Summer 2014 Collection is a look into the (kinder, gentler) future of the modern woman. What does that mean? To designer Rae’s mind, she seeks comfort in simplicity—but style is never a compromise (why should it be?). Almost as if seen through a crystal ball, Rae’s S/S he collection is graceful forward-looking take on sharp day-to-night streetwear for the woman who has more interesting things to do than get dressed twice.
Rae’s latest collection is inspired by the novel 2150 AD by Thea Alexander, but even without knowing its origins, you can see that the styles are a look into the future—almost robotic in form, but juxtaposing with a soft feminine feel. Suzanne Rae gives us a snippet of utopian (or is it dystopian?) society through her minimalist, well-tailored and boldy accentuated silhouettes. The new collection seamlessly combines imagination and craft.
This redefinition of femininity is exemplified in the black neoprene dress seen below. It is seasonless in a global world that could see you pairing it with sandals and a colorful, oversized clutch on a sunny NYC summer’s day; 48 hours later, paired with a crisp white turtleneck and black tights with boots, it would fit in comfortably on a wintery Sydney day.
Her perfectly volumized shapes (like the one seen above) are the new forms in fashion, the opposite of the current trend for ultra form-fitting everything. Pieces are smart and perfect in their attention to detail, like the black tee with neoprene trim around the sleeves and collar.
The collection materializes the new definition and role of the modern woman, but also challenges and then recreates the fabrics it is constructed from. Fabrics like neoprene, usually used for wetsuits, are poetically constructed to appear quite mysterious. Crinkled silk organza evokes the beauty of a pearl even with its wrinkled texture. (Plus, it would be a wonderful piece to travel with because you don’t have to worry about ironing it!)
Not only is Suzanne Rae a brilliant young designer, she is dedicated to manufacturing in the city she lives in: All of her clothing is produced in the Garment District in Manhattan and reflects the true cost of clothing production by skilled workers—something the industry—and our communities could use more of!
Get an inside look and feel into Suzanne Rae’s SS14 Collection through this video created by her team.
You can find Suzanne Rae’s styles throughout small boutiques like Kaight, Steven Allan, Joinery and Henrik Vibskov.
Related on Ecosalon:
NYFW: Suzanne Rae’s Minimalistic Take on Feminism and Beauty
The Ultimate List of Sustainable Fashion Designers, from A to Z