Sophie Theallet for Nine West Collection — Tres Jolie or Pas Chic?
Striped awnings and curtains in two-color juxtapositions are an intrinsic part of the Parisian landscape, adorning the façades of quaint bistros and patisseries, concealing the interior of hotel rooms, and shielding the sun-drenched balconies of luxury apartments. Fashion designer Sophie Theallet tapped into the Francophile aspect of striped patterns with the new Sophie Theallet for Nine West collection, which features two handbag styles, three footwear designs and two charm bracelets infused with a perky joie de vivre.
Granted: the collection doesn’t necessarily recreate the feel of the pieces in Theallet’s last two runway collections, both of which were rife with mystery and theatricality — without leaving the Bohemian luxe realm within which the French designer loves to operate. The sheer black lace overlays, layered tassel-like fringe detailing, tapestry-inspired satin prints, and draped jewel-toned silk charmeuse fabrics of her Spring 2011 collection are absent from this fashionable endeavor.
The Sophie Theallet for Nine West collaboration, then, leans more towards the Amélie interpretation of free-spirited style than the moody Juliette Greco understanding. If you had to craft a montage to capture the mood of this collection, you’d likely rely on images of women in dresses riding bicycles with wicker baskets, incandescent pink tulips blooming in the Tuileries Garden, and charming flower shops along Rue Cler.
To create this effect, Theallet relied on a punchy rose-colored striped pattern with hints of saffron yellow and carmine pink and a more modest colorway of this striped pattern consisting of a warm caramel brown base with hints of matte back and beige. These striped silk fabrics serve as the foundation of this collection, popping up on the Paula handbag (pictured above, last), which measures 14″ in length, 10″ in height, and 4.5″ in depth, and features a slight bit of draping along the bottom of the satchel that culminates in bow accents along each side; on the Mary heel (pictured above, at top), a T-strap sandal with a buckled ankle strap, a 1″ double platform, and a 5″ heel; the Tinna (pictured after the jump), an espadrille sandal with a chunky 5″ heel and a 1″ platform, an ankle strap with a belt-like leather strip, and a cheeky bow details at the toe; and the Pila, a ballet flat with a bow accent at the tone. The Tinna is particularly appropriate for the season — especially in the brown/black colorway since it unwittingly conjures up a bit of a tribal vibe while retaining its sweet innocent air.
But perhaps the most triumphant piece in the collection is the Emma handbag, a structured straw purse (available in a natural color or in a black hue), which measures 14″ in length, 10″ in height and 4.5″ in depth and features double straps yielding a 7″ drop. Unlike many straw bags, which wind up looking like vagabond-worthy accessories due to their amorphous, bulging shapes, Emma looks just as poised as any leather frame purse thanks to its trim silhouette — from its rounded top edges to the top front flap and kiss-lock closure, and the wooden accents along the inner frame.
Check out more images from the collection below, as well as pricing details.
Pictured before jump: Sophie Theallet for Nine West Mary Sandals, $99; Sophie Theallet for Nine West Emma Straw Handbag, $69; and Sophie Theallet for Nine West Paula Satchel, $98. Available at NineWest.com
Pictured after jump: Sophie Theallet for Nine West Emma Straw Handbag, $69; Sophie Theallet for Nine West Tinna Espadrille Sandal, $99; and Sophie Theallet for Nine West Pila Fat, $79. Available at NineWest.com
