Anybody who still thinks of Theory as a department store brand for office staples needs to take another look. Of course, ideas about appropriate corporate attire have shifted since Lisa Kulson designed Theory s famous stretch trousers in the 90s, but now that the label is back under her creative control, she s giving it a much more casual lean. Kulson said she asked herself, "What s the new fashion tracksuit?" The answer she came up with for Resort was pull-on knit pants. These first started turning up on the Fall 14 runways; where Marc Jacobs and Céline s were clingy and over-long, Theory s are cut more generously through the thigh and higher above the ankle to make them easier to wear.
"Easier to wear" was the season s general refrain—and not just for the knits, which tended toward the oversized or elongated. Kulson s favorite proposition for evening was a velvet jumpsuit with a relaxed silhouette. As for the brand s bread-and-butter tailoring, it too has softened up. The best blazer we saw was unstructured with a tie belt in place of buttons.
