Spending time in nature does wonders for putting things in perspective. Lauren Manoogian and Chris Fireoved live a nomadic life between the mayhem of New York City and the gentler pace of Peru, where they spend a lot of time in the countryside with artisans: maybe this contributes to the sense of serenity that is a hallmark of their brand. In addition, the use of age-old hand techniques and geometric patterns (whether they relate back to the horizontal panels of traditional ponchos or the T construction of the kimono) creates a sense of continuity with the past.
“Disappearing into nature,” was the starting point for spring—and the idea of hiding from the world seems especially tempting at the moment given the headlines. Intrigued by the “really crazy abstract patterns” you can find in nature, Manoogian created some of her own. Each of the splatter painted cottons was hand done and thus unique. The bark-like pattern, seen in the second look, was created with a “chaos” stitch. It was surprising to discover that the backs of hand-cut fuzzy garments (as in look 6) were neatly geometrical.
In a sense the whole collection was about order and irregularity. The strong shouldered V-silhouette seen in many of the looks was created, Manoogian said, by layering them over the single-button vest top (look 16). This outfit’s neatness contrasted with the asymmetry of an ivory knit dress (look 20), pieced together like a minimal Piet Mondrian. A knit woven with regular squares and cut in a square shape fell in an undisciplined drape; parachute pieces were irregular in their tautness, and Manoogian took advantage of the natural roll of some knit fabrics. The idea, explained Fireoved, was “embracing the imperfections of what handmade actually means.”