Change was in the air at Exit Art, where Thuy Pham and Miho Aoki presented their United Bamboo collection today. Gone was last season s post-modern hipster; in her place was la garçonne, jaunty in nautical stripes, bow-tied shirts, and golf sandals. (The men, in contrast, wore black velvet Mary Janes.) The collection had a touch of vintage, a touch of things kawaii, but remained fresh and true to the United Bamboo aesthetic. "Everything we do is mashed up without being too obvious," offered Pham.
To a soundtrack by Panda Bear (a solo effort by Noah of Animal Collective, some of whose work is published on UUAR, United Bamboo s record label), the designers reprised fall s strong volumes, but in softer, more languid fabrics. A mariniere striped minidress had a front drape "like a deflated balloon," as Pham described it. It didn t hit a flat note, though; this is a collection with a lot of buoyancy.
