Slow and Steady
What do we call someone who bases all their clothes and accessories purchases around designer names? A Label Whore. And what do we call someone who buys the latest it bag as soon as it’s out so everyone knows how trendy they are? A Fashion Victim.
But what do we call a person who responds to the prevalence of these label-whorish-fashion-victims by breaking down iconic, wildly expensive pieces to their barest shapes, lines and most significant detailing, recasts them in affordable material and sells them at a reasonable price? A genius.
Such is the adjective deserved by the folks behind Slow and Steady Wins the Race. The label’s output is set up as a sort of fashion diary, and once every two months the team releases a collection focused on a specific aspect of clothing design. The mission of the label is Ikea-eque: to democratize high-quality design, while creating opportunities to rethink the function and creation of our clothing.
SASWTR has focused on designing garments based on color combinations, creating variations of five classic shoe styles, and interpreted the classic white t-shirt in fabrics like coated linen, leather and velvet.
Perhaps most orgasm-inducing of all, especially for an ex-label whore (I’m from North Jersey, it’s a process) is the Slow and Steady take on six of the most iconic handbags in fashion history. The Birkin, Chanel, and Balenciaga and more for 100 bones apiece. It’s not nothing but its sure beats the 10Gs Hermes is asking for, and if that’s not enough only 100 pieces of each style are produced which makes each piece not only affordable but as close to one-of-a-kind as most of us are likely to get.
The goods are carried at Opening Ceremony, Woodley & Bunny and Oak in Brooklyn, and at American Rag in San Francisco.
And for those of us about to get hit with April showers, they got you covered. Rainwear debuts next week.