For this season's collection, Nicholas Kunz found inspiration close to home -specifically, it was her recently purchased upstate getaway that did the inspiring. As references go, upstate is a comfortable fit for a brand that has always trafficked in easy-feeling, rugged streetwear, and Nicholas Kunz didn't stretch herself much to accommodate it, mostly limiting the news in the men's and women's clothes she showed to a nicely judged woodland palette of variegated greens, rusts, and riverine gray-blues. The designer also played around with texture, introducing cozy pieces in black and emerald velvet that looked a little off layered with the rest of the collection's plaids and parkas. There was a garment this season that underlined one of Nicholas K's recurring weaknesses, and epitomized the brand's enduring strength. She has a praiseworthy interest in versatility, and a real respect for the way people adapt clothes to their own ends; when she's on, she translates that into pieces such as this collection's cabled hand knits, which transformed the workhorse Aran into slouchy cardigans, heavy enough to work as jackets, that zipped at a rakish angle. Those pieces are going to be worn and loved for a long time by the people who buy them. At heart, Nicholas Kunz is a detail-driven designer who understands that it's the subtleties of proportion and fit and the cleverly functional elements she adds to her clothes that make them special. Reminiscent of seasons past, the label continued to conjure up a relaxed, grunge aesthetics mixed with utilitarian workability. However, this season's collection brought in more of a variety of textures and fabrics, combined with an interesting assemblage of layering. Cropped leather jackets were layered with swaddling scarves and plaid shirts tied at the waist. Hoodies were combined with bubble vest and these cable knit sweaters with plaid shirts tied at the waist or roguishly draped around the shoulder. Though color palettes ranged from muted military olive to burnt orange, faded khaki and charcoal gray, the cohesiveness in styling unified this collection. It lent itself to that youthful, urban sophisticate that is smolderingly sexy and pensively reflective at the same time. Though this collection was a bit more suited for the urban warrior, that stylish young man who lives in a more relaxed, measured environment can pull off some of these looks without a hitch. And incorporating boots from Vintage Shoe Company gave this collection an added rustic appeal.
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