A Friday Evening in the Timo Weiland Showroom Continued

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Part 2 of 3:
We move with Weiland out of the main showroom and into a smaller office where Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind” pounds from the desktop speakers of two assistants who continue to type away frenetically, unfazed by our intrusion. Against the wall, a single rolling rack twinkles with soft ivory silks and ruffled emerald chiffons in a color palette inspired by “a decaying English garden.” This is all that remains of the in-demand Spring 2010 collection. The rest is—among other places—out at an editorial shoot for V Magazine, being previewed at Barneys, and on loan to Kate Hudson.

Weiland’s passion is most apparent when he is interacting with the clothes. Starting at the front of the rack, he fingers through the garments, pausing here or there to withdraw a favorite. Caressing the garment, he recalls the story of its development like a mother reminiscing about her grown child. Next, he pulls out a top of sheer black organza and holds it in front of a lamp to better demonstrate how the intricate French seams pop when worn over a light color. The effect is slightly illicit and was inspired by the opaque seems of the vintage paneled undergarments and mannequins from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. “[Weiland and I] collect the mannequins with the paneling down by where the beehive skirts used to be” he tells me. This theme takes a subtly voyeuristic twist in a high neck silk charmeuse top with voluminous sheer organza sleeves. A French seam cord lines the inside of the sleeve and is tacked in three spots, allowing the wearer to play with the sleeves’ proportions while her naked arm remains silhouetted underneath.

The collection is unpretentiously highbrow, perhaps as a result of his down-to-earth Nebraskan origins and later upbringing in New York. Each carefully crafted piece is comprised of rich, stylized layers that come together to create garments with surprising elegance and ease of wear. For example, after slipping on a cream colored mini dress my friend appears instantly radiant and effortlessly graceful; the result of many details that have been thought out to the last stitch to create an overall look rather than to be seen individually. Weiland highlights the construction of the dress, revealing its veiled complexity: “We put in an accordion pleat down the side to allow for movement and create a lot of drape down the front. An overlay of sheer chiffon falls over the charmeuse. Then we added a sporty racer back and rushing.” Weiland tells me “we want a product that competes with other innovators in the industry,” which requires spot-on patterns and flawless execution. Unsatisfied with a factory that makes one type of garment well and flounders with others, Timo Weiland garments are sourced to specialized factories to ensure the finest craftsmanship on each type of fabrication and shape.

Continue to part 3 of 3 . . .