MBFW SS 2011: Timo Weiland Sets Sail

Timo Weiland, the young men’s and women’s contemporary label co-designed by  Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein, debuted under the tents Sunday morning with a youthful, collection inspired by the Scandinavian seaside.

Skirt hems were short, pant cuffs rolled, and prints ubiquitous. Models in contrasting primary colors balanced atop wooden platforms interspersed with thick chains of nautical rigging rope while an accompanying, short film entitled “The Watch” by Shal Ngo mesmerized on large, mounted screens above.

The collection deftly mixed outspoken prints; an ink blot pattern repeated in stark navy and bright red worn simultaneously in a tailored, three-piece skirtsuit  came off as confident, not busy. A poppy-red silk shirt knotted with nautical flair at the waist even looked downtown-serene paired with a soft pink mini skirt.

A series of chambray looks were breezy and spring-like on both men and women, including a vertically striped sailor print used on elongating ladies bell-bottoms and a two-button jacket for men. Color blocking was another gender-blind trend, most notably employed in a khaki button-front raincoat outfitted with teal sleeves and black front pockets.

There was one cocktail dress silhouette, which featured a sweetheart bust topped with a mesh boat neck and a short, overlaid skirt. A narrow cut-out band encircled the waist like a belt and was filled with mesh.  In a vivid Fjordland landscape print with matching hooded raincoat, the dress was playful and bold, yet in a butter yellow lace, the dress came across as demure and almost Victorian.

A leggy brunette with long, center-parted hair wearing the yellow version of the dress collapsed halfway through the presentation, eliciting little more than a blink from the model in the printed version beside her.  She was carried out by a silent guard, and the dress reemerged unscathed about ten minutes later on a petite blonde who struggled to fill it out.  The brunette was not seen again.

Men struck a scholarly chord in tortoise frame glasses—notably similar to the spectacles worn by the label’s namesake--and multi-layered looks, including button-downs, worn with long cardigans, and jackets. The label’s navy and black combination from the fall carried over to spring in a long black blazer and matching short edged in black.  A jean jacket was revitalized with a zipper, cuffed sleeves, and popped collar and made of subtly iridescent, oil stained denim.

 The strong collection, part intellectual, part hipster—think Dead Poet’s Society on the Lower East Side—was unique, playful, and surprisingly wearable.

That evening at the after-party at Ohm in Chelsea, which featured a rousing performance by The Rassle, Weiland examined his buzzing Blackberry. “We’re on Style.com! Our first Style.com appearance!” he exclaimed, and the circle of supporters around him let out a whoop of cheer.  The start of much good news to come. 

The Watch by Shal Ngo 

Round up...

Trends: layered patterns, colorblocking, primary colors.

Celebrities: Community actress Gillian Jacobs, 90210 actress Shenae Grimes, and TV personality Louise Roe