Since decamping to Paris three months ago, the Vaquera duo of Patric DiCaprio and Bryn Taubensee have been thinking a lot about “good taste.”
Which is to say they don’t necessarily believe in it.
For their first collection created entirely since relocating to the fashion capital, they turned the idea of posh Parisian polish upside down, and kind of gave it the finger.
The show opened with Vaquera volume of big bows and floral appliqués, inflated puff sleeves, popped collars practically ready to take flight, and new plays on the bra motif – now basically a brand signature – made their appearances. They also pumped it up on ball gowns and ‘80s-inspired balloon skirts, fun and foundational looks that helped unlock the duo’s creative blocks and brought this season’s collection life.
That’s because the designers have spent the past two seasons very vocally musing about money and what it means to be an independent label. Creatively they have tried to strike a balance between the rebellion of their early collections and making viable commercial products.
“We’ve evolved, and I think society has evolved to the point that people actually want that stuff from us,” said Taubensee. To the duo’s surprise, the giant bra from last season turned out to be one of their best sellers.
There were still plenty of wearable pieces – an impeccably tailored skirt suit comes to mind – but they maintained the tension between being office appropriate and off-kilter.
A half-dress garment that wraps up one side of the body while leaving the other exposed was styled over shorts and skirts, proposing an unconventional take on layering.
“We feel like real Parisian fashion designers now, which you can see in this collection,” said DiCaprio. “It feels more elevated.” Their newfound proximity allows them to interact with the atelier IRL, instead of over Zoom.
Still, the financial challenges are real. The move to Paris has put the possibility of opening a standalone store within reach, DiCaprio said. And they revealed a 16-piece capsule collection with Tokyo-based denim brand Moussy Vintage, which will be available in February, as well as a collaboration on an Air Max shoe with Nike. Both should help fill the coffers.
Vaquera may be questioning the churn of the trend cycle, but they’re also keeping up with it smartly, while building a business.