Wrk-shp Spring 2013
Fifties-era Case Study Homes and the SoCal spirit inform Airi Isoda’s latest collection
Continuing to mine the world of architecture for inspiration, Wrk-shp designer Airi Isoda reveals a Spring/Summer 2013 apparel collection based on the Case Study homes built in Southern California in the 1950s. With the fourth collection, crisp lines and structured silhouettes begin to establish a distinct vibe for the designer, while simultaneously creating a lightness just right for the year’s milder seasons and, of course, the designer’s sunny home base in LA.
For the first time, Isoda introduces prints into her minimalist look with a characteristically unconventional approach. Inspired by Pierre Konig’s CSH #22 (the most photographed house in the world), the LA skyline—snapped by Isoda’s partner and husband, Ryan Upton, from the Griffith Park Observatory and printed on silk—appears on the hem of a pair of shorts and along the edge of a shirt collar, as well as blown up and presented center stage on a color-blocked trapeze dress for dramatic effect.
“In our past collections, we always found ways to incorporate architectural essence whether it was by using architectural materials, or pieces found in hardware stores,” says Isoda. “This season, we were inspired by actual building projects implemented post-WWII that were pushing the boundaries of architecture at the time.” At the same time, the designer matches her sharp eye with a bit of southern California spirit, infusing what she describes as an easygoing, relaxed and playful attitude into pieces like swingy dresses, all-over-matched short sets and slight peplum tops. The lookbook captures the sun-soaked mood, with models bopping about LA—dodging frumpy tourists in their midst—on a well-heeled and lighthearted adventure.
Wrk-shp has a freshly launched e-shop carrying Fall 2012 apparel and a selection of their signature dipped pouches, which are now available in an array of new Fall colors. Also, keep your eyes peeled for the label on the crowd-sourced design site Cut on Your Bias in mid-October, at which time users will be able to customize clutches and tote bags based on sketches, fabric and color choices.
Images by Lauren Randolph
