While the pandemic may have continually beaten NYC down these last 24 months, that the city is decisively coming back to life was definitely evident at New York Fashion Week. And despite all the virtual shows, along with Milan and Paris, it is still where fashion dreams are made of.
One such dream is embodied by L’Agence, a brand that we’ve been excited about since its inception in 2008. The California-based atelier claim to stylistic fame is simple: “Effortless LA lifestyle with an understated Parisian influence.” The ready-to-wear line has truly stood by this concept, as evidenced by chic details and silhouettes, combined with a certain ease and approachability we’ve come to expect from Cali fashion.
L’Agence presented its Fall 2022 collection at The Bowery Terrace at the East Village’s Bowery Hotel. And this year’s collection exhibits a darker palette, while evoking prominent romantic elements. In an exclusive for BlackBook, Art Director Lilly Bircher shares that, “The FW22 theme is Dark Romance, so I wanted to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. We set the mood with a candlelit entryway and a mid-day espresso martini, welcoming our guests to view the collection on our twelve gorgeous models. I worked with Pop Up Florist to create large scale floral vignettes, playing with a mix of burgundy and red roses, orchids, contemporary florals, and mixed greenery.”
She continues, “It’s the fine details that bring everything together, so we showcased our key paisley print on the presentation invites and within our on-site logos.”
The styles featured in the collection stayed true to the iconic silhouettes that are signatures of the brand, but surprising colors and details evinced a new sort of maturity – with use of rich materials such as velvet, lurex, and sequins in autumnal hues, most noticeably burgundy. Luxurious touch came by way of the use of metallic and sand-washed leathers. L’Agence signature essentials were familiar, including iconic prints and seasonal jewel tones.
The brand’s ability to generate buzz was evident by the zeitgeisty guest list of models, fashion influencers and journalists, including Zanna Roberts Rassi, Jenne Lombardo, Josephine Skriver, Sara Sampaio, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Nina Agdal, Danielle Bernstein, Marianna Hewitt and Ms. Nicky Hilton herself.
“I wanted our FW22 presentation to be an interactive experience,” Bircher explains, “with guests mingling with the models and experiencing the collection firsthand. Post-show, we repurposed thousands of florals to create beautiful rose bouquets. Our mission at L’Agence has always been to empower women and make them feel special.”
We’re pretty sure they do.
