This past week was one of my favorite weeks of the year here in Atlanta. It was RAGTRADE Atlanta Fashion Week. This is always a great week of fun events, great outfits, and making some interesting new friends. Well this year’s line-up of programming and designers definitely didn’t disappoint. Every year this event has grown and expanded it’s reach into the Atlanta and fashion community. This year was no different with the addition of two menswear designers and two international designers. Below is a recap of all the fun and a few of my favorite pieces from each collection. Oh, and before I forget. All of the pieces that were shown are already available for purchase or pre-order! Now that’s literally ready to wear ready-to-wear. 😉
Apoteca
The 2016 show kicked off with RAGTRADE Atlanta’s first ever international designer. Inga Ojeriene is a Lithuanian designer who shares my love for prints. Her line, Apoteca, is definitely fashion forward but is still accessible for the average girl. Each design utilized the same core print mixed with complimentary solids, as did the textiles of each design. There is a common thread, so to speak, in all Apoteca designs. They each utilize a mix of silk with spandex, silk, and cashmere. Very lux indeed. Ojeriene’s playful approach to ruffles and proportion started the evening off on a great note.
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Natt Taylor
Natt Taylor is the only designer to have shown at RAGTRADE Atlanta every year (you can see her previous collections here and here). I, for one, am always so excited to see her latest and greatest collection. While Natt definitely showed off her best staples (tailored trousers and feminine swing dresses), she really stepped things up this year with some new silhouettes and a darker, more glamorous color pallete. Each piece that walked by was beautifully crafted and made to make a girl feel gorgeous. I walked away wanting pretty much the entire collection, but that seems to happen every year with Ms. Taylor.
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Sylvia Mollie
I would be lying if I said there weren’t pieces of last year‘s Sylvia Mollie collection that I am still dreaming about. Well last year’s dreams turned into this year’s audible gasps. This collection had pieces that walked down the runway that literally took people’s breath away. Several of the perfectly constructed and flowy maxi dresses had me staring with my mouth wide open in astonishment. Oh to spend everyday in a gown (#lifegoals). Having now seen both a Spring/Summer and a Fall/Winter collection from the Sylvia Mollie brand, this has quickly become one of my favorite designer labels of Atlanta.
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Onyii & Co
Onyii & Co was the second international designer in this year’s RAGTRADE line-up, hailing from Nigeria, Onyii Brown is another lover of prints and by far had the most colorful collection of this year’s runway. Brown believes that by using these types of international textiles in her designs, women can experience and indulge in an international sense of luxury that is so often overlooked in today’s fashions. While I obviously loved all of the colors and prints, what I really appreciated and was drawn to were the fun use of proportions in these looks.
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Cease & Desist
Fred Foster may not have been the first male designer to show at RAGTRADE Atlanta. But he was the first designer to showcase menswear designs on their runway. With coats and cuts that ranged from the classic to the bold to the high-concept, Foster’s line, Cease & Desist, used a fun mix of detailing to keep all eyes all over his pieces (that last part may have come out wrong). Like Onyii & Co before him, this line embraced color, proportion, and fit. The designs were fun, edgy, and polished. Here’s hoping that Mr. Foster becomes another RAGTRADE regular.
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William Malcolm
While the William Malcolm collection was definitely the shortest collection I’ve seen walk a runway, he certainly didn’t disappoint with his impeccably tailored and crafted suits. Malcolm was asked to design a suit inspired by the Lincoln Black Label MKX (that’s a car, btw). Having only gotten to view two of his perfectly formed looks, I certainly hope Mr. Malcolm returns next year in full force with even more bespoke menswear with which to stun us all.
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Runway Photography by RayJRich Photography
