The designer turning deadstock fabric into outrageous whimsy
Lou Dallas, a nascent New York label that eschews boredom in favor of an almost outrageous whimsy, is quickly becoming the most interesting young brand at NYFW. The label’s designer, Raffaella Hanley, is a graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design—and it shows. Her models look as though they’ve walked straight out of Fern Gully (1992). Despite streetwear being the prevailing trend amongst most brands, Hanley is deciding to evoke the grandeur of ages past—think Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s lavish paintings—and breathe new life into deadstock fabric. Yes, she is doing it all sustainably. Hanley hand-dyes her pieces with natural pigments, like turmeric, for vibrant colors. In an exclusive backstage shoot by photographer Will Warasila, we explore the whimsy and youthful splendor that Hanley twists into phantasmagorical delights. Perhaps hers was the most slept-on show at fashion week?
