‘Rag and Bone’ and the Path to Success
By Hope Wilkos, South Florida Blogger
Marcus Wainwright and David Neville started out in 2002 in Kentucky with no formal designer training. Their vision seemed simple enough. They wanted to make everyday clothes that the average consumer would buy. Thus, the Rag and Bone label was born.
What is so great about Rag and Bone is the concept. All their clothes are made in factories right here in the United States.
Starting with jeans, Wainwright and Neville went on to launch a menswear line in 2004 and their women’s wear line soon followed in 2005.
Because of their realistic approach to designing clothes, Rag and Bone was selected in 2006 as the finalist for CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award and they won the Swarovski Award for Emerging talent in Menswear in 2007. This year they have escalated to an even higher plateau by going on to achieve Menswear Designers of the Year by CFDA, the ultimate award in the designer industry.
Their most recent Spring/Summer 2011 showing for Men and Women took the future to a whole new level. The lines combined classic with a mix of modern. Monochromatic hues dominate the collection.
Wide-legged pants matched with both short and long jackets prevailed for men. Shorts seemed to hang low just below the knee. Layering vests over baggy shirts over textured pants took on a very ultramodern look. Grey moved down on various pieces going from the chest to the knees in gradual dark to light transition of color. What appeared to be a silky, textured, elongated shirt was partially covered by a tailored suit jacket. As each male model walked the runway, the looks became more fluid. A patchwork of solid colors had an interesting effect on each model as they shuffled down the runway.
For the women, combinations of flowing organza fabrics were shown in concrete shades. Short tube tops were paired with low rise pants and little jackets. It was almost as if the traditional woman met futuristic soldier with straps being placed on the clothes in the most non-conforming parts of the outfit. Some of the silky white dresses, petticoat pants and shorts were inspired by the sensuality of lingerie. As was the case with the menswear line, layering seemed to be a favorite in the women’s wear collection as well. The mixture of colors was brilliant. Reds with whites and silvers with tans looked spectacular. A low cut, tan, open backed, loosely fitting shirt looked sublime with a pencil straight, silver, knee-length skirt. Tropical designs were inserted for a bit of variety in the collection. The shoes of the moment were platforms. Rope hemp was incorporated into the looks as fabric for a very atypical vest and bathing suit cover up. Zipper jackets had an unmatched appeal, mostly shown in white. White slip dresses were worn under sheer, black, ankle-length dresses giving a very unique appearance.
Only Rag and Bone could cleverly coordinate fabrics, textures, colors and the multitude of layering combinations seen in the show.
A visit to the website, http://www.rag-bone.com, is a must. Shop the e-store or pay a visit to one of their many New York City stores located in West Village, Soho and the Upper West Side. Tokyo, Japan is the location of their international flagship store.
Don’t forget to check out the wide variety of jeans and cargo pants. After all, this was how it all began for Rag and Bone and ultimately led to an extremely successful and talented pair of designers.
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