Designer Rachel Antonoff has been an indie designer darling — acclaimed by style editors and bloggers for years — but in many ways it seems this season she’s really starting to come into herself. While the designer has long been beloved for her unabashedly girly aesthetic (picture oversize collars and flared skirts) Antonoff has, of late, found herself evolving into something a bit more, well, herself.
“It’s kind of hard to put into words,” says the designer. “I started the line making things I would want to wear, but I don’t want to wear costume-y, poofy skirts anymore … The sweatshirt that we did last season was, for me, kind of a big turning-point because I was like, ‘I want to wear a sweatshirt, I’m just going to make one for fun even though we definitely won’t put it in the show.’ Then we did and it reminded me that the rule of thumb — to what I want to wear — does work and is good because the sweatshirt went over great.”
The new Antonoff aesthetic still has some points in keeping with the label’s roots, but with some new additions. “There is still the feminine edge, but there is definitely masculine as well. I wouldn’t say it’s as girly as it was,” says the designer.
For the past two years, Antonoff has made a cozy little studio in the heart of New York’s Garment District her commercial home — surrounded by props from old Fashion Week shows and memorabilia that runs the gamut from ballet slippers to marionettes. While some may find it small, she loves it. “I love this small space,” she tells us. “I just really feel that it’s this very cozy space and the ceiling is so high and I love my little shoe corner that we created. I really like everything about this office, it makes me feel comfy and happy.”
Here, take a peek into Antonoff’s cozy-and-dreamy studio, and get a sneak peek at one of the pieces from her new Spring 2013 collection!
