The serenity of Lauren Manoogian’s mostly cream-colored fall collection belied any turmoil or sense of toil—which was a labor-intensive feat in itself. Behind the scenes Manoogian and Chris Fireoved had been working nonstop on the collection while simultaneously applying the elbow grease to renovating their not-yet-opened boutique on Broome Street, where they shot the look book on actual film. This brand takes a slow-and-steady approach. An example of this was the new-for-the-season diamond-quilted double knit that was developed over the course of a year. The material, which looks puckered from a distance, takes its texture from an alpaca-mohair mix on the exterior; cotton is used on the inside.
“I was working on a lot of stitches that reference quilting or are dimensional,” Manoogian said. “Everything’s padded and quilted. I just want to be hugged and soft.” She made use of Ottoman stitches to create a ridge effect and added sleevelike ties to light separates that gently draped as well as allowed customization. Wearing the sleeves wrapped, noted Fireoved, captures the gesture of putting the sweater around your shoulders. This piece and its styling were also in line with the swaddling we’ve been seeing so far this season. Embracing curves softly was a hand-knit peplum sweater stitched to emphasize the waist.
Also new, and quite unexpected, was Manoogian’s use of a grungy plaid; a skirt in the pattern was cleverly cut like shirttails, giving it an easy Nevermind look. This was a roll-up-your-sleeves moment for the brand, and Manoogian, who has been wearing painter pants, decided to create her own abstract version. A silver-printed, brushed-wool car coat that resembled metal appliances or peeling paint also connected back to the construction of the store in the subtlest of ways. Despite the newness, the collection included many foundational looks that customers keep coming back for. “We really wanted to feature those pieces that sort of made it all happen,” said Fireoved. Success breeds success.
