Monse Spring/Summer 2017

by Paige Reddinger

There was a mile-long line to get into Artbeam in Chelsea, where Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim showed their third Monse collection. Naturally, the big news—the designers are heading to Oscar de la Renta—was responsible for some of the draw, but the clothes are equally magnetic. Shirtdressing is the big idea chez Monse, and for Spring, the best looks were dripping with sequins. The goal, according to Garcia? “To create modern ways of doing blouses that can be worn day-to-night, and oversize pants that are chic and modern at the same time. We want to give women clothes that are practical and innovative at the same time.”

The show was set to the soundtrack of the much-loved Netflix series Stranger Things. Indeed, life must be a little strange and exciting for Kim and Garcia. All week people have been thinking the duo would debut their first collection for Oscar de la Renta this season. “February will be our first show, but everyone has been confused about that,” said Garcia. “Stylists have been texting me asking me about the show all week! It’s being done by the studio, but it’s going to be great and everyone should still go. Oscar only came together for us in the last couple of weeks, so we still have to build a team and a strategy between now and then. The announcement was just a way to say that we were going to start working there eventually.” In the meantime, the duo are proving that they have really honed in on their vision for their own brand.

“I loved it. I want every piece!” said Marie Claire‘s editor-in-chief Anne Fulenwider post-show. “It was a really elegant combination of menswear with that dash of sparkle and elegance that you know comes from their experience at Oscar.” It was a sentiment echoed by nearly everyone we heard chatting about the collection post-show. Well done, you two.

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