London-based, Estonian and Ukrainian designer Roberta Einer spent most of her childhood with her grandma in Estonia, surrounded by nature. Summers were spent in the forests, and winters with 20 hours of night were spent inside doing arts and crafts, including crocheting, knitting and embroidery.
Those years formed specific skills for Einer as a fashion designer. "Nature and color has always stuck with me from these really formative years, and they are things I come back to and am inspired by in everything I do," she tells PAPER. "Travel also plays a really big role in how I create. Whenever I travel I like to take in my surroundings, colors, smells and shapes so I can translate them into knit, embroidery or even print."
The cult summer brand launched its sensual and romantic summer 2024 collection with a campaign shot in Naples by Dan Beleiu, with Georgia Palmer among the locals in elongated silhouettes, sheer materials and a joyful color palette. In the spirit of Roberta Einer, it shines light onto the various textures used, including the classic technical knit and the new “fishnet” beaded dresses that reflect the light from the sun and ocean.
Below, PAPER chatted with Einer about launching a brand after the pandemic, finding inspiration in her travels and slowing down fashion.
How did you start your namesake brand?
I never really planned to have my own label or brand, but after graduating from Westminster University in 2015 while looking for a job, things just fell into place. A lot of my graduate collection samples were being loaned out to stylists and sold to collectors. My name got out there, and it seemed like a wasted opportunity to not address that and start the brand. Ten years later, we’re still here. In the early days, we mostly sold to the Asian and Middle Eastern markets, focusing on embroidery, but after COVID-19, everything changed. I started experimenting more with knit, crochet and traditional techniques which was when we really grew into what we are now.
Tell me about the inspiration behind the collection and campaign.
The campaign was inspired by our knitwear. It is all made in Italy, and since COVID, we have only really used Italian makers for knit. I have been so humbled by their hospitality, welcomeness and skill, and I really wanted the campaign to represent this community of people that contribute so much to making our knits possible. I think our clothes are a balance of good and bad taste. I love contrast and felt like Naples is a place that depicts that well. Naples is a city of contrast and uniqueness and there is a real beauty to the roughness of it.
The collection was very much inspired by the same idea. We used semi-precious stones and rough sea glass that has been softened by waves, organic yarns, free knitting shapes and super matte and shiny finishes. We played a lot with contrasting styles, finishes and colors.
What are some of the specific skills and techniques you've honed and owned over the years?
Knit and crochet are my main focus. We have taken on the challenge of translating handmade knits into machine-made garments. While our clothes are really sexy and revealing, it is really important that we make things that take on the body of the wearer and are inclusive in terms of what feels comfortable. We have found there is no better fabrication for that than knit and crochet so we play around a lot with stretch yarns and different qualities and finishes. I think macrame is also a technique we have developed and grown into what we are doing now, pushing the lines from macrame dreamcatchers to really structural modern garments.
How have travel and different regions played into both your business and references?
The Vegas collection was very shimmery with a lot of Bob Mackie references. Lisbon had more Art Deco graphics, embroideries and more muted color tones. In the Morocco collection, we used a carpet-maker in Morocco who produced bags for us, so we were super inspired by the local artisans.
How has the brand evolved to where it is now?
The second coming of the brand was massively due to COVID, but I think that the brand also grew up as I grew up as a woman, coming from a more streetwear and embroidery-based background to where it is now: more sexy knitwear, more empowering for the female form and more mature.
What are you excited about for your future?
I am really excited to explore new techniques and makers we have lined up for future seasons. Developing a new technique with a new manufacturer sometimes takes up to one a half years, so it is definitely a slow fashion approach that we are taking. We want to push the boundaries and move more towards many smaller-teamed drops throughout the year. This is exciting to do in today’s fast-moving climate. We can explore more ideas in smaller capsule collections compared to two collections, which doesn’t always feel like you are bringing enough newness.
Photography: Dan Beleiu
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