In a time where the boundaries between the intimate sphere and the social media-driven public gaze feel blurrier than ever, The Row mined that territory to great effect in its coed spring collection.
Lived-in intimates and garments usually worn at home were the foundation layer of the season.
Of course, The Row being The Row, there was nothing shapeless about the long-sleeved T-shirts and knee-length pants in lightweight ribbed slub jersey, or a nearly sheer slip skirt with a linen front and silk back.
While Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen made them eminently fit to be seen, they could just as easily be layered under the relaxed tailoring of the season. With cuts a tad more oversized and, dare we say, slouchy than in previous seasons, a modern athletic twist emerged from the lineup.
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Constructions and textures had the in-depth minutiae that is par for the course in the powerhouse Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen built. To wit, an ash brown suit cut from silk canvas held the fine line between tailored precision and a liquid feel on the skin.
That same impression of polished breeziness emerged from tailored separates cut from parachute silk, where trouser hems were pulled closer to the ankle with a discreet pleat and stitch.
Other standouts included men’s shirts with detachable collars, playing on the boundary between formal and not; a little black dress with a simple apron front and a dramatic cowl neck at the back; pencil skirts with hook closures running up from the hem to make them less constricting; and whisper-soft cashmere sweaters.
Although the spring season continued the at-home feel at play in the brand’s fall offering, there was also the sense of being ready to nip out at any time for the right occasion.
A dash of options that skewed toward the evening, at home or elsewhere, was also on display in the lofty rooms of their Paris headquarters.
A substantial coat in a changeant velvet that was produced on a machine dating back from the 1950s — not that one needed to know that to appreciate its lushness — was juxtaposed with silk shantung pajama sets and a long quilted jacket. Double-silk slipdresses, some with whisper-thin lace running along the neckline, had satisfying heft.
Accessories did not disappoint, with sandals that felt barely there but had just enough padding in the bed to make them a comfortably chic option, or a cohort of pouches in buttery napa leather. There also were more high-heeled shoes for women, a further expansion of the brand’s extensive footwear offering.
Rounding out a collection that reiterated The Row’s position as a brand fueled by superlative crafts was a bag made of woven leather hand-tooled to achieve a raffia-like look, among the highlights of the room dedicated to its expansive purse offering.