A visit to Connor McKnight has a calming effect. It’s not just his clothes, but the designer himself. McKnight exudes a serenity that fits well with the casual modernity of his collection. To put it plainly, McKnight is a pretty laid-back guy.
That could be why he built his new collection around convenience. “I’m leaning forward,” he explained. “Now that I’m thirty, the challenge for the sake of a challenge doesn’t really appeal to me.” He can say that again. As we get older, we get better at picking our battles and taking the path of least resistance. It’s not about going through life, it’s about learning. “I’m getting better at identifying what works for me and letting that become my focus,” he said.
Men’s clothing is one of those things. While McKnight has gradually expanded into womenswear, this collection highlights his menswear sensibilities. “I think people see me as men first, and that’s something I can lean on because it’s easier for me,” he said. He plans to make room for expanded offerings in coming seasons, including his menswear and some women’s-specific looks with interchangeable sizes, “but I want to give that a little more time to develop,” he said. .
While that lurks in the background, McKnight has also embraced his sense of play. He doubled down on his signature crop silhouette with high-waisted pants and funky crop knits and blazers, but added a longer leather jacket “to appeal to those who don’t like the crop silhouette.” His collection has a roundness, with convex hems created by drawstrings and with curved pockets with inserts that have a softening and modernizing effect on the often austere tone of his clothes.
Drawing from his talent for working with deadstock fabrics, McKnight cut pants and jackets from repurposed military tents and camping insect netting. “I see that people like transparency these days!” he laughed and added: “it’s a fun process, there’s a worn aspect and texture to the clothes that I really love.” McKnight’s clothing generally has a lived-in patina, and this expansion provides more novelty and depth. The plan is to offer them as part of a direct-to-consumer expansion, and work with interested retailers to sell exclusive versions based on the materials he can find. But everything in due time. The hunt and the process, McKnight said, are part of the fun.