It’s no secret that Sarah Staudinger has been a longtime fan of the late publicist and fashion icon, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. In recent years, her collections have skewed towards a more minimal and classically ’90s-inspired look, and this past December, Staudinger was revealed to be the buyer of three pieces from CBK’s fashion archive at the Sotheby’s auction. But for fall, she looked elsewhere for inspiration: the English countryside as interpreted through another former fashion icon, the model and British aristocrat Stella Tennant.
Staudinger knows that her customers are often young women in the workforce who want to look buttoned-up without sacrificing comfort, so she’s updated her basic trousers to add an elastic waistband while still retaining their sleek and tailored look. Leather and suede played an important role in the collection, which featured mini moto dresses, Western-inspired jackets, and trench coats. “I want to give the Staud girl good leather at a reasonable price point,” she said. And thanks to the brand’s minimal aesthetic, the investment could prove worthwhile, as they won’t go quickly out of style.
While Staud’s signature beading typically comes courtesy of the brand’s Tommy bag, the designer incorporated it into more ready-to-wear pieces. “I love that we are pushing beading into new ways like outerwear,” she explained. A black suede jacket was embroidered with tonal beads and sequins in a subtle horse and floral print for a business-in-front, party-in-back moment.
