“Clothes should bring joy,” Tracy Reese said over Zoom, noting the heaviness of the current political climate and her commitment to remaining optimistic through her work. There was no shortage of bright spots in Reese’s pre-spring offering: A bright poppy print covered a collared romper, a split-sleeve top was embellished with mini pom poms, and a triangle design Reese painted herself was done in both red and blue, enlivening a signature, ruffled Hope for Flowers dress silhouette. “I love aspirational things that are beautiful and artistic; they’re inspiring,” she said. “But I design things to be worn by our real customers, and that’s always been my place in the industry.” A denim jumpsuit with smocking details and cropped, boxy button-ups relayed that message.
With sustainability as a pillar of the brand, Reese aims to design pieces that her customers will want to wear for years to come. She seeks to achieve that not by limiting the range to everyday staples, but rather by infusing “a little bit of magic” into otherwise ordinary pieces. A washed linen blouse made a statement with fringe details and oversized balloon sleeves; ruched side panels added dramatic fullness to A-line skirts. There was also Reese’s affinity for punchy stripes. “I am not getting sick of stripes,” she said. “I’ve been a stripe-a-holic for the past two years.” This season’s red-and-white combo—on tops and bottoms and reminiscent of an ice cream parlor awning—spoke to the essence of the pre-spring collection, said Reese: “Step out and be courageous and optimistic, and express yourself.”
