alice + olivia & MRDR BRVDO
Stacey Bendet and Ev Bravado
Spring Summer 2020 NYFW
Here’s a riddle for you, that’s not really a riddle, because the answer is so obvious: when is a fashion show a party? When it’s hosted by alice+oliva’s Stacey Bendet, of course! See? Told you it was easy! Not to brag or anything, we understand that you had to clean out the fireplace (or whatever) in preparation for the coming winter months, and couldn’t attend. Don’t worry, people. This individual “we” are about to fill you in on all the gorgeous, glamorous delights, that took place on September 9, 2019.
I don’t think many people (or anyone, for that matter) realized that this New York Fashion Week was the last of the decade. It’s only suiting the event go out with a bang, rather than a whimper (I’m not mentioning any names). Maybe Stacey Bendet knew, or maybe she didn’t; regardless, she did it up in a big way. This season’s show at Root Studios was a brilliant display of lilac saturated flowers, a sky blooming with pink clouds, a minty pristine kitchen, and a bright buttercup pool, tailored and embroidered Spring/Summer looks seemed to have sprouted from their colorful surroundings. The SS20 affair introduced an exclusive collaboration between alice + olivia designer Everard Best, (bka EV BRAVADO), the designer behind MRDR BRVDO, and Who Decides War menswear labels. Don’t be fooled by his stoic countenance, Best brings his singular style of hand-embroidered, dyed, and distressed denim to womenswear with alice + olivia SS20; in the midst of the show, was stationed in a laboratory vignette, a cascade of color descended around him as he artfully live-painted pieces for the alice + olivia collection, turning the canvas of Bendet’s denim range into a physical gallery of wearable works of art. The looks will sell with the collection in alice + olivia stores and retailers worldwide next Spring.
Highlights of the event included:
Delicious Glenlivet infused ice cream while waiting in line outside the venue. The ice cream cart showcased this season’s hero print.
Once indoors, guests were presented with alice + olivia’s first vignette- “Field of Dreams.” Models perched on a sprawling field of lavender hills with Glenlivet bottles interwoven into this colorful aromatic fantasy.
Mia Moretti and Margot from The Dolls set the mood with a curated DJ set and violin performances.
Volkswagen further enhanced the dream-like vision with the iconic Beetle Final Edition, wrapped in the alice + olivia hero print for Spring 2020. Guests were able to partake in the model set experience with pictures inside and around the VW Beetle.
Some of the glitterati who attended included names such as Sofia Richie, Suki Waterhouse, Joey Bada$$, Paris Hilton, Victoria Justice, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Jessica Szohr, Selah Marley, Delilah Hamlin, Huma Abedin, Aleali May, Jeanette Hayes, Gigi Gorgeous + Nats Getty, Eva Gutowski, Jenny Mollen Biggs, Tessa Hilton, Sophia Hutchens, Danielle Bernstein, Camille Kostek, Luna Blaise, The Dolls- Mia Moretti + Margot, and far too many more names to list (I do have other articles to write, you know).
But let’s get to the delectable details of alice + olivia Spring/Summer 2020; a modern bohemian field of dreams, if you will. Across the collection, color block dressing is highlighted with dramatic new shapes anchored by strong pants, a nod to the trouser core of alice + olivia’s brand DNA. Voluminous sleeves, legs, and skirts imbue classic sportswear with couture presence, while engineered floral prints and finely embroidered details transport the imagination into the fashionably surreal.
At this season’s show at Root Studios, Designer Stacey Bendet’s fashion dreamscape unfolded in a series of nine transportive sets, each revealing a realm of the collection. In a field of lilac saturated flowers, a sky blooming with pink clouds, a minty pristine kitchen, and a bright buttercup pool, tailored and embroidered Spring/Summer looks seemed to have sprouted from their colorful surroundings. “When the colors are right in a space you exhale and tune into your own interior,” Bendet says, “I dream in color and these rooms are fashion dreams come to life.”
In each brightly-hued world, colors converse in a sherbety palette. The combinations highlight the considered silhouettes and elevated constructions in this collection, which balance dramatic volume with day-to-day favorites. Bold moire silk sleeves, a sculptural bow cummerbund belt, pleated chiffon, and dramatic waterfall ruffles complement oversize blazers, clean tie-around tees, cycle-ready bike shorts, and of course, perfect high waist trousers. Welcome to high feminine sport.
In modern bohemia, blouson sleeves are fit for lazing in the grass and powering through the city. Flower has a new power: square neck cuts and tea-length skirts feel fresh with bright engineered paisley and cool sneakers.
SS20 also introduced an exclusive collaboration between alice + olivia and Murder Bravado designer Everard Best, a rising fashion star known for his singular style of hand-embroidered, dyed, and distressed denim. Describing the union between the two brands as, “When Kanye West appeared on Katy Perry’s track E.T.,” Best, who has collaborated in the past with the likes of Virgil Abloh, Heron Preston, and Mr. Porter, sees the collaboration with Bendet as “an opportunity to work with one of the foremost American womenswear designers in the industry.”
In the midst of the show, Best and his design team were stationed in a laboratory vignette, a cascade of color descended around them as they artfully live-painted pieces for the alice + olivia collection, turning the canvas of Bendet’s denim range into a physical gallery of wearable works of art. The rainbow looks will sell with the collection in alice + olivia stores and retailers worldwide next Spring. “With this collaboration, we wanted to bring our vibe and our design DNA to alice + olivia. We applied our signature dying and distressing techniques then exaggerated the length to keep it super fun and over the top.” This spirit for over-the-top, playful artistry works seamlessly within Bendet’s vision for SS20. “There is a sense of newness and methodology to his designs that is incredibly exciting to me, and a mutual appreciation of color that translates beautifully into this collaboration.”
Getting to Know alice+olivia by Stacey Bendet
Shame on you for not knowing! (I kid! I kid! Chill!)
Launched in 2002, alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet is a brand that allows women to express their personal style. With clothing that juxtaposes the whimsical and flirty with the sexy and sophisticated, a+o epitomizes the personality and perspective of its founder, Stacey Bendet. The brand was born from Stacey’s personal quest to create the perfect pair of pants and has since grown into a full lifestyle collection including ready-to-wear, gowns, shoes, handbags, and accessories. The brand is a Hollywood favorite with celebrity fans including Meghan Markle, Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gigi Hadid, and Jessica Alba.
alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet is available at the brand’s free-standing boutiques located in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, East Hampton, Greenwich, Houston, Malibu, Manhasset, Miami, Orange County, Palm Beach, San Francisco, Southampton, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kuwait, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, Doha, Taipei, Macau, Chengdu, Bangkok, and at aliceandolivia.com. alice + olivia is also available at over 800 select department and specialty stores worldwide, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, Lane Crawford, Isetan, Hankyu, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, and Galeries Lafayette.
The Lowdown on MRDR BRVDO
With a name that sounds like the illest rapper to ever grip a mic, how could you lose? Everard almost did, once upon a time. But that’s all in the past.
In six notable years, contemporary creator Everard Best has designed and consulted for several esteemed brands including Off-WhiteTM, New Balance, Neiman Marcus, Puma, Alice + Olivia, Levi’s, and Mr. Porter. After launching Lease on Life Society, which gained major exposure and an enormous social media presence, Best used this platform to transition to his namesake brand, EV BRAVADO. Founded in 2016, this rapidly expanding brand hones in on carefully crafted pieces, expert garment distressing, multi-phase hand-dying, and meticulous attention to detail. These key factors set EV BRAVADO apart in a saturated menswear market. As EV BRAVADO continues to grow exponentially, its in-house team retains the same grounded outlook and mission statement of instilling faith, culture, and a handmade touch into each garment created. This past season, Ev Best embarked on a new venture, debuting the first full-scale collection under the name “WHO DECIDES WAR by MRDR BRVDO”, to set the clothes apart from the namesake and allow the garments to breathe on their own. Murder Bravado is sold at leading retailers including Mr. Porter, Barneys Japan, GR8 Tokyo, Nubian, Cherry, Detail, Ratti, and Ayin.
I’m almost a hundred percent sure that you’ve been swiping through these stunning images, rather than read anything I’ve written here. That’s okay, though. I completely understand, and I am not offended.
Find alice+olivia by Stacey Bendet at: Web / aliceandolivia.com Instagram / @aliceandolivia Twitter / @aliceandolivia
Find Murder Bravadao at: Web / evbravado.com Instagram / @murderbravado and @whodecideswar Twitter / @murderbravado
Header image and Gallery III by Billy Farrell, Gallery I photographs by Hunter Abrams. All photographs © their respective authors.
Special thanks to Paula Goldenberg at H&S PR for the hookup.
