Katie Ermilio is making a name for herself as an eveningwear designer, creating polished, youthful pieces that offer something new to those with plenty of paid-seat parties to attend (including many a fashion editor). For Fall, Ermilio delivered the goods, deviating from the sweet pastel pink she s favored in the past and focusing on primary colors. There was a navy blue slipdress made out of a weighty swirling-floral wool lace (developed in-house), a sunny yellow strapless column in double-faced satin, and a true-red crop top—in double-faced satin, once again—worn with a wrap skirt tied up with an origami bow. "It s super-clean," Ermilio said at a preview. "I let the fabric do the talking." The single embellishment was midnight blue Swarovski pearls, dotted on a navy silk blazer and a pair of high-waisted briefs, which were worn under a swirling nylon lace T-shirt gown that subtly bustled at the back.
What s notable about Ermilio is that she has such a strong sense of what she likes and what she doesn t—a firm belief in what her brand is meant to represent, which is rare so early in a label s existence. That s why it was nice to see her adding more sportswear into the mix: Her unwavering aesthetic means she can experiment with new categories without confusing the customer into wondering, "What is this brand about?" Her funnel-neck cashmere sweaters—knitted at a factory in the state of Georgia—and a cashmere sweatsuit in camel and gray stripe were in line aesthetically with her more formal fashions, offering her customer yet another reason to buy into the brand. What s more, Ermilio already has proof that these more casual looks can work: Her satin jeans, which have been around for a few seasons now, are a top seller.
