When Isabel Wilkinson Schor pivoted her career from editor to designer, she set out to make what she was missing in her own wardrobe: dynamic staples that appeal to the busy woman. A few years in and one covetable storefront-meets-studio location on East 64th street later, Schor is beginning to demonstrate her playful side.
“A jumping off point for this season was a lot of depictions of chaos and abundance, and youthful energy,” she said. This led her to a deep dive into the crowd photography of Andreas Gursky. To Schor, the kinetic patterns of his work were reminiscent of radio or TV static, which then manifested in a unique print that looks exactly like that. In pieces made in it, there was a balancing act: the almost vibrating dots brought chaos, but the structured silhouettes, like a corseted pant, worked to reign it in.
The collection retained much of Schor’s signature ease, while the more vibrant tone set by the radio static print continued throughout. Particularly exciting was a cherry red double-faced cashmere popover, whose curved back took inspiration from 1960s couture. Underneath was a cobalt merino wool turtleneck, white poplin button-up, and black bonded satin moto pants that featured a fisherman’s style “wader” line stitched across the upper thighs.
Other hero pieces employed a second balancing act between heavy and light, as seen in a metallic apron-style top and skirt made from hand-stitched bugle beads or a pleated dress with alternating strips of silk georgette for subtly airy movement. Between her foray into bolder color play and contrasting textures, the fall collection aptly represented the newfound abundance that Schor wished to embrace.
