NYLON - October 2007 - (Page 64) NARRATIVE DEVICE In Dickens’s final novel, Our Mutual Friend, Jenny Wren is a 12-year-old dressmaker raised by an alcoholic father. She has a bad back and her “legs are queer,” but she needles those around her with the cunning and worldweariness of an adult. She is, as Melissa Coker puts it, “a study in contrasts.” The same is true of Wren, Coker’s debut collection. The L.A.based designer, who began her career assisting the inimitable André Leon Talley at Vogue before styling for magazines (including this one) and trotting the globe as a trend forecaster, had been whipping up dresses and blouses with a friend, just for fun, until she realized that it “felt like a collection, like it all fit together and told a story.” The result is a cross between Audrey Hepburn and A.P.C.: hand-dyed T-shirts and tuxedo jackets top voluminous brocade miniskirts, outsized bows cinch the necklines of three-quarter-sleeve LBDs, and multi-tiered evening coats are cut for maximum dance-floor swinginess. Says Coker: “Wren embodies a girl on the move, casually traveling from work to a dinner party, no outfit changes required.” EVIANA HARTMAN Available at Opening Ceremony, NYC and L.A.; for more information, see wren-clothing.com. inFITher shoesaccessories An graduate and former designer for Calvin Klein, Coach, and Marc Jacobs, Joy Gryson is no slouch. In 2006, the seasoned veteran of these major brands decided to take a risk, branching out on her own with a collection of handbags. In structured shapes and a refined palette largely comprised of neutrals, the bags hit an immediate chord. This fall, Gryson is adding footwear to the line. “I love shoes, as most women do,” she says, “but I am very, very picky about them.” This translates to an obsessive amount of attention to detail—“shoes that are not only beautiful, but wearable and comfortable,” Gryson explains. Styles like a rugged buckle-strap ankle bootie in mushroom color calfskin and kneehigh equestrian boots in grainy leather are precious, but not too precious for what Gryson refers to as “everyday traipsing around New York City.” JENNY FELDMAN For more information, see gryson.com. PRINTS CHARMING This season, the British fashion designer Matthew Williamson— best known for his prints and red-carpet-worthy sparkly dresses beloved by Kylie, Keira Knightley, and Sienna Miller— celebrates a decade in business. Starting in October, Williamson is being honored by London’s The Design Museum with a show that will focus on iconic pieces from his 10 year reign. Long may it continue! ANDREA CUSICK For more information, see designmuseum.org. wren photographed by ray lee. stylist: ken baldwin. model: karolina m at next. dress by wren, sweater, turtleneck, and hat by yohji yamamoto, leggings by fogal, necklace by mended veil. matthew williamson courtesy of matthew williamson. still life: chika kobari. http://wren-clothing.com http://gryson.com http://designmuseum.org
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