Its our first pre-spring season at DEGEN. This capsule features our favorite base layer, the Block Tank, and a small selection of sweaters // cardigan jackets to allow so many layering possibilities.
As with every season, I started my design process by making a lot of sketches. Although this is the Pre-Spring collection I designed all of Spring Summer together and split it off into smaller groups based on the weather. I tend to not have a big theme that I design into, but instead just a bunch of inspiration that sort of congeals into a look and feel. One of my biggest inspirations for this collection was traditional robes from the 19th Century Ainu people (an indigenous group from northern Japan and south-eastern Russia). I loved the way they embellished around the neckline- its both simple and complex. Everything feels really balanced. Its so beautiful. This is where the Maya Sweater began.
Along with the collar detail, I wanted to create a sort of bolo tie look to go along with it. I decided to create lace eyelets along the the collar to weave the ties around the collar. Its under the collar and not visible without lifting the collar but I think its a special detail.
This collection also features an update to the beloved Flower Power Sweater with a different flower motif. Spring reminds me of tulips with flower heads too heavy for their stems to hold up. There are two colorways of our Tulip Sweater, Russet and Bluebell. I am not much of a blue lover but this one is maybe one of my favorite of the season. The sleeves feature different tulip motifs than the front and the Peruvian artisans I work with did a masterful job on this intarsia.
The last two pieces from this capsule are built for layering. You can see the Block Tank on me in the top image. Made in lux Pima cotton, its a lovely under-layer or only layer. I wear a lot of Arq tank tops but they stopped making them (I sure hope they come back) but this style sort of fills that wardrobe gap for me. There are 4 really pretty colorways of this style that can go with literally everything. Below, Maya is wearing the Leaf colorway. The waffle texture looks so defined and pretty in the Pima. I hope this ends up as a wardrobe staple for you.
Last but not least is our jacket // cardigan. I was really interested in Diamond shapes which will appear more in the other Spring Summer drops. The jacket features an eyelet lace pattern in a diamond shape and contrast color details at the shoulder seams. The eyelets almost look like a wicker chair to me. Breeze, shown below, is a gorgeous heathery grey that can look blue in some light. There is also an olivey-green colorway called Moss.
Wear this piece just buttoned at the top with your Block Tank underneath or over a dress.
Our Pre Spring collection drops at 10am ET on Thursday 2/20.
