The hammered silk skirt was made using a placket behind the measured ruching. Inspired by the trendy cord ruching that I am seeing everywhere but wanting something a little different and more refined, I came up with a new technique that looks especially incredible rendered in hammered silk. The silk is tacked onto a placket at measured intervals, leaving a precisely measured amount of ease between each attachment that causes the fabric to evenly drape. The skirt has the measured ruching along the right side of the skirt, lifting the ankle length skirt asymmetrically to show the leg while adding volume and dimension to the skirt.
I'm excited to introduce the'Peonies on White Carrara Marble' silk scarf. Made in Italy, the printed silk twill scarf is finished with a hand-rolled hem. At 35.5 inches square, the scarf is large enough to wear in a variety of ways, while the light 12mm silk twill is delicate enough to fold into a head band or tie onto your handbag to complete your outfit.
The silk twill peony scarf was designed with variations of pink peonies that I photographed, delicately arranged over white carrara marble. The scarf is finished with a soft pink
The
Kate Stoltz 2018 Spring/Summer Collection was designed for urban women living in an environment where square space is as coveted as privacy. Black quickly became the primary color for the collection. Every piece was designed to be easy to style, but with precisely placed details that carried out the inspiration and ideas that tied the pieces together.
While the images that inspired the collection came from a recent trip to Greece, the current events in the world also impacted the decisions made in textiles, style lines, silhouettes and color. Political tensions in the United States and the sobering reality that 'Me too' was more common among women than I had ever imagined prompted a more somber approach. The 'Me Too' movement prompted me to think about women's clothing differently and focus on strength rather than sexuality. A tailored wool dress with a pick stitch, tailored merino wool flare dress pants were designed to celebrate the women stepping forward and taking over industries and defying boundaries in their careers and personal lives. Darker colors, long sleeves, midi skirts and suiting was influenced by the typical well dressed male wardrobe that focuses on presentation and tailoring rather than sexual attraction.
The
Abstract Heart Blouse was created with a desire of seeing some love and understanding in the midst of the chaos stemming from the political circumstances. The bright red, an expression of wanting to break away from the heaviness I felt in the midst of an angry protest, or when seeing two sides resort to name calling to defend their point instead of having productive conversations. It's a request for people to see other people's opinions and traditions with an open heart, willing to listen to why they feel the way they do, then making decisions based on facts and the good of humanity. To work together and focus on love instead of hatred.
Maggie Duckworth, a stylist in New York City reached out to me with a request to borrow a couple pieces from the collection for an editorial project with NYC fashion photographer Emmanuel Faure. Together with her style team, Maggie paired the
Abstract Heart Blouse with the
Feathery Pillar Skirt, a red beret and red shoes. The large team worked together to produce an image that gave the pieces life. It's projects like these that assure me that humans can work together to create something beautiful if we have the patience to openly listen to each other's ideas.
Thank you:
Style Team
Erin Galligan
Ofry Beladona
Saray Franco Lvi
Emma Gorelik
Lee-Ann Laville
Make-up Artist: Gil Aldrin
Model: Stephanie Santiago
Photographer's Assistant: Max McGerry
Pieces used in the editorial:
To see the entire Spring/ Summer 2018 Kate Stoltz collection, visit:
XOXO, Kate Stoltz
For an hour after sunrise, and an hour after sunset, windows in the distance glisten like gold. The waves shimmer and capture the golden light that is beginning to flood the sea, turning the waves into liquid gold. The breeze cools the earth, and the world is quieter. Natural light isn't too harsh, but there's enough light to see. It's relaxing, peaceful, and beautiful. There's a reason why this hour is called 'the magic hour'.
Sunrise on the beach in Southampton is especially beautiful- The caps of the waves glisten in the sunlight, and the beach settles the restless souls of the overworked humans that visit. I wanted to capture the feeling I had, leading to the design and relaxed fit of the Kate Stoltz NYC gold silk kimono dress.
The Kate Stoltz NYC gold silk kimono sleeve dress is as comfortable as silk pajamas, but can be worn during the day or the evening. I finished the simple look with a pair of metallic sandals for a daytime look. Layer it with a longer sweater and lace up black patent leather shoes, and you'll have a trendy fall outfit that can be worn to work....
Kate Stoltz NYC Gold Silk Dress Details
Sandals: Vince Camuto
Kate Stoltz NYC gold silk dress
