The past 10 years have seen significant hand-wringing and pearl clutching as to how one keeps up with ever-shifting trends, without succumbing to environmentally-unconscious fast fashion. The answer has been, for the most part, to buy vintage, but what if we're looking for something that no one has worn before us — styles that are simultaneously sustainable and high-quality, both modern and capable of standing the test of time, all without breaking the bank?
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Enter Allen Schwartz: the brand new brand (developed from Allen Schwartz 35-year-old red carpet staple ABS), emphasizes eco-friendly practices — producing every piece in downtown Los Angeles, as well as either developing fabrics locally or importing from Europe. They are also, of course, fur-free and only use vegan leather, while each style is made in small batches to avoid waste, and of course, cultivates a sense of exclusivity.
Admirable sustainable policies aside, the inimitable brain behind the brand, Bianca Bernal, prioritizes designs that will be forever wardrobe staples. Allen Schwartz Fall 2018 collection is the perfect example. Crushed velvet and plaid suits make for perfect workwear, while silky, layer-friendly slips can be dressed up or down and don't get us started on the statement coats (read: what dreams are made of). Bernal explains blending the contemporary and classic is Allen Schwartz's modus operandi.
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"Maximalism is so IN, and it's really reflective of the disruptive happenings in the world. Instead, I want to refer back to the timeless styles that are proven and familiar – to calm it down," she says of the label's latest line. "Then, it's the textures and fabrications we closely develop with our mills locally and around the world that make the collection truly our own and of the moment."
Check out the full look book, below, but be warned, you may just fall in love.
Photography: Andrew Roque
Models: Laissa Medeiros, Angie Angielska
Stylist: Bianca Bernal
Beauty: Chanel Cross