Tomorrow afternoon, I'm heading to Stockholm (with a quick stop in Reykjavik), where I'm looking forward to attending my first Stockholm Fashion Week. I'm mainly excited because unlike New York Fashion Week, the majority of designers who are presenting contemporary, forward-thinking designers who produce clothing I want to wear. Sometimes I worry that New York doesn't provide the most fostering environment for young, independent designers, since the industry tends to favor more commercial fashion, and focus on the bottom line. Therefore I'm always extra excited to hear from other local independent labels forging their way in New York.
Shape Shiftr is one such brand. Formed in 2009 by Maine natives J'aime Lizotte and Meghan Lavery, the line is focused on exploring design forms through geometry, and the ladies refer to themselves as "2 Triangles" (which obviously sounds so much better than "partners"). The current Fall collection was inspired by Ancient Egypt, mysticism, and "the mysteriousness in cryptic codes of hieroglyphs and things like alchemy and freemasonry." J'aime and Meghan also admit to being influenced by the current 90's grunge trend, which they themselves have taken to wearing. Nonetheless, even though they work with a style from the past, they give each piece a decidedly contemporary spin. The designers are concerned with how silhouettes and shapes can change from different angles and perspectives, and through layering different materials. In other words, even though the references are there in the crushed velvet and the baby doll shapes, nobody is going to mistake these looks for something you found on a vintage dig. You can find Shape Shiftr at Pixie Market and Nasty Gal.
-Tiffany
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