With some regret, as a trip to New York is a lovely prospect indeed, an Apiece Apart appointment remains a very digital experience, conducted via Zoom in their beautiful showroom and our rather cramped stock room. So every season we await, with not a little excitement, their beautiful, inspirational document, highlighting the material and obsessions which have fuelled the upcoming collection.
Pre Fall 2023 draws on the paintings and sculpture of Cuban American artist Jorge Pardo, and in particular his self designed home in Merida in Mexico, in all its saturated colour glory. This document is important not just for showing us the genesis of the collection but for giving us some sense of the interests and enthusiasms of the designers Laura Cramer and Starr Hout.
In keeping with Apiece Apart’s mission to create a constantly evolving wardrobe of pared back elegance, their inspiration is not intended to be prescriptive but merely a starting point for each store, and each individual customer, to create their own aesthetic. Whilst we loved Pardo’s palette of rich earth, olive and camel with accents of lime and lemon, we felt these shades might have a happier home in Central America and the South West USA. We Hambledon buyers, from a more temperate location, have taken to an easier Northern European monochrome palette of black and white, accented with hot pinks and a touch of deep khaki for warmth.
The Obsessions document also points us in the direction of key pieces for the season. In the words of Apiece Apart ‘Pieces we think about, talk about and want to wear now’. Again, in true Hambledon style, we can choose to ignore some of the pointers (the Lulu Bandeau Top and Trail Shorts may not have the versatility we demand of clothes for an English Autumn) but we loved, loved the Spa Pleat Pant in Khaki and Black as the foundation of all your best wardrobe decisions in the next few months. We loved the Molto Shirt dress as the ultimate chic layering piece. And we’re very excited to introduce the Vanina Twist Dress, and her friend the Nina Twist Top. This is a cotton jersey group in black or shocking pink and looks set to be your favourite basic this season. The designers Laura and Starr also drew our attention to the Little Black Dress category which is set to be an important story for early Fall.
THE TODO MAXI DRESS
A strapless black maxi dress with fitted bodice (styled in the looks with a simple tee but could also be worn ‘da solo’ (al dente? al forno? I know there’s an Italian expression for it) for something dressier. Porta and Las Alturas give us the subtle print for the season: an optic black and white floral.
The Pre Fall collection is designed to segue seamlessly into Autumn Main (more, much more, of which later). As ever each piece is carefully and beautifully considered; intended to be long lived addition to your wardrobe.
