Although Daniella Kallmeyer’s eponymous label is known for its cool tailoring and sense of casual ease, the designer does not subscribe to the aesthetic principles of quiet luxury. “People have used [the term] as a way of saying that if something is simple, or if it looks austere or elitist, then it must be luxurious,” she said during an appointment at her Chinatown showroom. “For me, luxury is always about the moments of personalization, craft and expertise; and so I really wanted to explore that in this collection.
Kallmeyer said she looked to the work of Cristobal Balenciaga, Pierre Cardin and Fortuny for inspiration, which initially seemed at odds with her modern and practical approach to dressing, but it all worked. Her custom-made garments were completely transformed by the use of silk taffeta. A cropped jacket with an A-line silhouette and a new version of the brand’s It trousers, the Clemence, with its drawstring waistband and a beautifully draped, curved leg, were standouts that simultaneously hinted at a vintage glamor yet maintain sporty ease.
Pre-fall means summer, so there was also a beach vibe, thanks to her memories of the time she spent in Positano when she was “18 or 19.” A kaftan worn with a matching cardigan made from the lightest, airiest bright yellow silk chiffon, shawl tops and a pleated tiered skirt made from ‘eight years’ fabric were imbued with a devilish sensuality and a simple pleated skirt. dress with princess seams in mint green liquid silk is made to show off leggy on hot summer days.
Color was another place where Kallmeyer injected some novelty; the palette of persimmon, aquamarine and goldenrod came from a show on ancient Roman and Greek depictions of astronomy that she saw at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In the hands of another, less adroit designer, all these varied references might make for a disjointed collection, but it expanded Kallmeyer’s reach – likely to bring in a whole new clientele, both older and younger – while also reinforcing its own DNA of the brand was doubled. (the pattern for a hip taffeta track jacket with hood came from the brand’s first collection in 2013). “We are minimal in the sense that it is precise, rather than ‘without,’” she noted.