Area Resort 2023
Area designers Piotrek Panszczyk and Beckett Fogg will be returning to the runway again in February for New York Fashion Week, signaling the continued upward trajectory of their business.
“It really pushes us to to make things that are mobile versus a sculpture,” Panszczyk said. “And when people come into the showroom, there’s just a different type of energy…they’re hyped up and they’re ready to put in the dollars.”
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The designers didn’t disappoint with the look book for their new resort collection, either (they show collections in-season). They took the age-old nautical tropes of “cruise” collections, and turned them on their head, proving once again their skill in daring craftsmanship.
Shells? They chose mussels, inspired by the coastal fishing region of Holland where Panszczyk grew up.
The bivalves were anything but lowly in their hands, inspiring elaborate hardware on a chain-link metal bathing suit that’s a pop diva magazine cover in the making, morphing into petals on a quilted leather flower motif top and miniskirt, forming two halves of a sparkly bustier on a black gown that should see red carpet action, and becoming jewelry motifs on a crystal bucket hat.
The designers also took inspiration from sailing rope, translating it into pattern pieces, including on a slinky white jersey dress, a classic black wool suit jacket with bold shoulders and a hem dripping fringe, and a pair of super chic braided effect double wash denim jeans. Seaweed-like strands were sculpted into acrylic masks, and worked into stringy motifs on a pink crop top and miniskirt in a combination of sequins and crystal.
The designers succeeded in pushing their creativity into more commercial pieces and opening up the brand to new customers with sharp tailoring, midi and maxi lengths.
“It’s really important to make sure that these high end ideas really go to the whole line,” the designers said, adding that sales have been doubling season after season. “Our year in a nutshell has been about developing more business health strategy, getting more consultants involved, having a bit more information so we can amplify what we need for the future.”
Launch Gallery: Area Resort 2023
