“It’s very much an homage to California, and a love letter to L.A.,” Sarah Staudinger said of her spring collection. After the devastating January wildfires, she said there was no question that she wanted to celebrate her Pacific coastline origins, the brand’s Los Angeles base and the beauty and spirit of the sunny state.
“In retrospect, there was so much joy and it was really easy to create this collection and celebrate it, because it was personal,” she said, directly paying homage to the Golden State with scenic airbrushed landscape prints and colorful collaged surfer prints. Spring was a strong example of how much Staudinger’s brand has grown categorically, with styles from her essentials, sport, jeans, swim, accessory and ready-to-wear mixed with a bit of ‘90s nostalgia.
She said more than any other collection, it conveyed the brand’s ethos and exemplified how her women want to look: effortless Cali chic that’s refined yet fun, optimistic and feminine from day to night. An all-black look made up of a tankini swim top and chiffon wrap skirt with metal shell pailettes slung over signature Stroll pants certainly fit the bill. As did easy gowns with sportif hardware or graphic T-shirts and jerseys styled with silk lace-trimmed Bermuda shorts, little bubble skirts with built-in shorts and a girly psychedelic black-and-white floral skirt, to name a few.
Staudinger, like her customer, also has a sense of humor and doesn’t take herself too seriously. It’s a strong point of her collections and present for spring with a cheeky Staud Smoke beaded Tommy bag, Happy Sack (not hacky sack) woven accessories and leather surfboard-shaped clutch.
Her updates to the popular thong sandal — the sporty Casey with napa leather thong straps atop colorful mesh panels and speed-clip-adorned Freja with vibrant, lacquered heels — were both standouts in footwear. And for nights out, she solved the issue of being unable to find intriguing, hot tops with a sheer raw-edged crinkled chiffon one and a stellar starfish beaded long-sleeve number.
From start to finish, or rather head to toe, Staudinger’s collection was a cohesive lineup full of fashions worth smiling about.