Protagonist Fall/Winter 2016

Protagonist, an ultra-chic line built on elevated basics, debuted its Fall/Winter 2016 collection in Vanessa Traina’s equally sleek concept store The Apartment in Soho yesterday. Traina sells the line in the store and online at TheLine.com and the brand’s under-the-radar sophistication is exactly what Traina is touting at her downtown loft-turned-retail-store. “It’s always super chic and very much like Vanessa’s style,” said Traina’s good friend Sofía Sanchez Barrenechea. “The cuts are great and the fabrics are very nice. I have a mid-height black dress that’s kind of like a shirt and a vest from a couple of seasons ago. It’s very under the radar, but they’re building a good foundation.” If you’re wondering what cool women of means are buying these days, this is it. While it’s only just starting to catch the attention of the masses, it certainly had the fashion crowd perched front and center at its presentation—we spotted editors and stylists from every top magazine.

The collection, which was presented against a no-frills backdrop that looked like the frames of a set design, with wooden benches and boxes placed haphazardly around the room, comprised cool, clean minimalist pieces in muted tones like navy, cream, and black in fabrics such as double-faced canvas, satins, cashmere, and crisp white piqué—it was easy to envision every piece as a go-to in your wardrobe. Protagonist’s design director, Georgia Lazzaro, started roughly six months ago and previously designed for other minimalist brands like Narciso Rodriguez and Calvin Klein Collection. Lazzaro said the brand is about fulfilling the luxury essentials in a woman’s wardrobe, which means the perfect white shirt, a good tuxedo trouser, and a tailored jacket. “I think the brand has built a beautiful DNA revolving around those kinds of essentials,” Lazzaro told The Daily. “With this collection, I’ve tried to evolve that a little. I explored silhouettes a lot, which I think is a really nice way to nuance a wardrobe and make sure that a little bit of personality comes through. I also tried to introduce some utilitarian elements, like pockets, to make everything super functional.” Not to mention, super desirable.