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The clinical-sounding trade show is a necessary evil in the the lifecycle of getting a brand from concept (mood boards! samples!) to selling floor (cash registers! profit!). The term itself can send shivers down the backs of store buyers, who can log entire weekends trying to navigate seemingly endless Las Vegas convention centers with booth after booth of stuff to sort through.
Capsule's spring 2015 women's New York show is a delight by comparison. The exhibition isn't massive, and specializes in indie designers (like Collina Strada, Dusen Dusen, and just about every Racked Young Gun) and emerging talent. The selection is inspiring and the atmosphere is invigorating: a DJ spins a chill mix of hip hop heavyweights and even the food is good (trade show food is never good).
Racked market editor Nicola Fumo was invited to take a spin through and pick out her favorite pieces by the brands she's the most excited about for the show's Capsule Curated feature, photographed with elements from artist Kalen Hollomon. See her picks in the image above, and hear what she likes about them below.
Everything I gravitated towards plays on familiar shapes but with enough of a twist that they feel really fresh and exciting—which is a way to sum up Capsule itself, really. I saw so much navy at the show and got uncharacteristically excited by it (normally I'm a black-and-white girl, straight up). Never say never, I guess?
Copenhagen's LBT-LBT makes this oversize plaid coat, which would be the perfect throw-on for the transition between serious winter and actual spring. I love how longer-length outerwear looks with flat shoes, so I picked this pale pair of slides from Wal & Pai, a made-in-LA line that's brand-spanking new (definitely keep an eye on these guys, I have a feeling they are going to do big things!). The pointed toe dresses up the easy slip-on style.
Back up top, I chose this breezy romper from Base Range, a line of "easywear" that splits its time between Denmark and France. The skinny stripe clashes with that big ol' plaid, but it's held together because they're in the same color family.
I am fully embracing the bucket bag renaissance we're living in. Objects Without Meaning, which also produces in LA, did this little one in a cork-like material—such a cool texture. I threw in translucent Ahlem frames to coordinate with the hue (they're based in LA—by way of Paris—too. LA is having a moment, non?). After seasons of brightly-colored sunglasses and high-contrast tortoise frames, brown seems like a nice alternative, plus it'd be really flattering on a lot of complexions.
This open-work Brooks Boswell baseball hat is just springtime smarts: Let it breathe. Same goes for the Lady Grey choker—an unexpected glam element in an otherwise chill look that carries very little physical weight. Just roll up to brunch with this baby around your neck, and I bet your michelada will be on the house. Really, let's make a bet.