Beyond Basics
With luxe fabrications, innovative shapes and delicate details, the basic tee is anything but when offered by contemporary labels that specialize in spinning jersey into fashion gold.
“The basics market has become so competitive in the past few years,” said Krisabelle Ann Tan, the founder and designer of Los Angeles–based contemporary label Krisa, which launched for Spring 2005 as a “stylish variant to casualwear.” And while Tan’s line includes plenty of not-so-basic tees, the collection encompasses everything from dresses and jackets to tops, skirts and shorts. “People are dressing up more, so basics have stepped up their game, too,” she said. “It’s evolved into adding more detail, like pleating, or changing the silhouette to be more updated.”
Julie Park and Vanessa Vogel started their collection, ParkVogel, in 2004 with the intent to create the perfect tee. The line has since evolved into more styles and more fabrications, but the ease of the tee remains at the core.
“We were always very fabric-oriented,” Vogel said. “To keep that T-shirt ’perfect,’ everyone is searching for the next big thing. We’re constantly sourcing new fabrics. It’s been a continual quest each season. But I still love a basic boy crew or a long-sleeved tee.”
Even labels not known for tees give layering pieces a fashion makeover with a dose of color.
“What makes them more interesting is when we do them in colors,” said Gloria Brandes, president and head designer of Irvine, Calif.–based BB Dakota. “Colors are a big part of making a basic seem less basic.”
Greening the tee, getting sporty
In recent seasons, T-shirt collections have been giving tees a luxe makeover in fabrications including cashmere, Modal and tissue-weight cotton. For many, the new frontier is eco-friendly fabrics including organic cotton and bamboo.
“The next step for basics is going green,” said Krisa’s Tan. “Designers are adding interest to eco-fabrics by increasing details within the fabric, making them more luxurious.”
For Tan, it’s more than just aesthetics; it’s also ethics. “I feel that every little thing we can do to help the environment can make a difference, and this is just one way I thought our company could help increase awareness.”
The designer recently added new styles in a bamboo/soybean/silk-blend fabric that the designer calls “incredibly soft.”
“I want to show people that going eco-friendly doesn’t mean you have to give up style,” she said.
Splendid is also going green with a new organic cotton group in its Splendid Mills men’s line.
For the company’s women’s line, the future is looking sporty. Splendid’s new Splendid Sport line includes hoodies, racer-back tanks and bottoms designed to give sportswear a stylish twist. —Alison A. Nieder
For more basics, click here.
DIRECTORY:
AGAVE (213) 452-0881 www.agavejeans.com
BB DAKOTA (949) 852-3180 www.bbdakota.com
ELLA MOSS (213) 489-9703 www.ellamoss.com
KRISA (213) 629-0484 www.krisastyle.com
MICHAEL STARS (877) STAR TEEwww.michaelstars.com
PARKVOGEL (213) 614-7924 www.parkvogel.com
REBECCA BEESON (415) 861-2810 www.rebeccabeeson.com
SPLENDID (213) 623-4573 www.splendid.com
