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The Aritzia girl is growing up. The Canadian boutique chain, which has ten US locations at the moment, appears to be in a transition much like what we're seeing at Madewell, leaning into more "forever" pieces and focusing efforts on categories like outerwear and denim. "We've made a conscious effort to elevate our lines," the company's fashion director, Tiyana Grulovic, told Racked at a recent preview of their fall collection.
The message is '70s romantic, with warm browns and burgundy hues amplified by rich textures like mohair and shearling. Flares, cropped jeans, and a-line mini skirts rule the bottom half, while turtlenecks, vests, and blouses that tie at the neck are predominant up top. In pastel-flecked marl or thick ribbing, oversize knits are a highlight, skimming the body instead of shrouding it. Scarves, boring as they sound, are also especially good, in blanket-size proportions with frayed edges and pleasing color combos like speckled gray with rose and plum. All is topped off by the comprehensive outwear options, from buffalo-plaid jackets with shearling collars to sophisticated robe coats in lengths from knee to calf.
When Grulovic and I got to Talula, the most junior of Aritzia's dozen plus in-house lines, I noted the lack of fit-and-flare dresses, a silhouette the retailer invested in last year. Grulovic pointed to a paisley-printed, '70s folk-inspired minidress with long, swingy sleeves as the new answer for younger customers. "Even if there is a more voluminous dress, it's short and it's hot and it looks amazing on," she explained. Further down the rack: "She still has her crop tops."