As Sharon Wauchob explained before the Edun show today, her strategy in taking the creative reins at the label was to start quietly. Now that it s been a year, she says she finally felt ready to raise the volume. Well, job done: This season s collection claimed stronger color, greater textural variation and more ambitious silhouettes than the brand has been known for in the past. In general, it boasted a clear point of view.
The color was mostly in Wauchob s jungle-inspired prints, which the designer twisted, wrapped, and draped in a variety of sculptural ways. Pops of color could also be found in the collection s graphic knits, a strong but small group that could have gotten more airtime in the show. Alongside the dresses, Wauchob s principal proposition was a fitted, often asymmetric top worn with baggy leather or dense wool trousers with an elasticized hem; the look was sharp and urbane, if not exactly groundbreaking. But the real standout of this collection was the outerwear—the slightly oversize bombers and parkas, in particular—and the lacquered hand-knit sweaters and leather skirts. The black skirt and sweater with coats of blue lacquer were seriously cool, with a futuristic mien.
The main quibble here is that, for all the sharp-looking stuff on the catwalk, Edun hasn t marked off any territory as clearly its own. With the possible exception of the print dresses, you wouldn t be terribly surprised to find many of these clothes on another brand s runway. That s the next notch on the volume, and Wauchob has positioned herself well to turn it up.
