Barlow: Sexy Meets Tomboy
Barlow is a new contemporary collection built on the dichotomy of a tomboy aesthetic and a sexy edge. The brand is part of the company Green Mochi, headed by Cynthia Vincent, who serves as creative director for the brand.
The line launched for Spring ’10 and is a collaboration between head designer Molly Girard Coonan and sales manager Alice Barlow, who also serves as muse for the brand. Previously, Coonan worked as a design assistant for Vincent and designed at Andrew Buckler in New York.
When Vincent called the designer to return to Los Angeles to start a new brand, she jumped at the opportunity. The concept for the collection is based on an unpretentious approach to fashion. “I feel like people take themselves really seriously in fashion,” Coonan said. “Not that that’s a bad thing, but we’re not serious. Since we are really unserious people, [we thought] it would be fun to do something that we want to wear.”
The pair, who are tomboys at heart, create the line with a sexy tomboy aesthetic. Of her decision to name the line after Barlow, Coonan said, “I thought it would be cool, since I design it, to name it after Alice, who is the muse,” she explained. The designer said her goal is to figure out a way to be comfortable and sexy at the same time. Dichotomies play a powerful role in creating the look of the collection. Coonan and Barlow like to pair unexpected themes and fabrications to create an ironic twist. Think “tomboy vs. vixen,” “avant-garde meets traditional” or “military and lace.”
“When thinking about design, I like thinking about dichotomy because it makes it a little more well-rounded for me,” Coonan said. “I can think about two themes and how elements of both themes can create a balanced collection,” she explained.
For Spring, Barlow is inspired by the dichotomy of late ’80s/early ’90s power suits and aerobics. The Fall collection draws inspiration from a Mexican wrestler mask and pairs a military-meets-outdoor hunting theme with feminine lace fabrications. For example, a pair of lace pants has built-in boy shorts, a chino fit and cuffed ankles. For Coonan, experimentation and taking a risk are part of the process, but she tries to create a balance between the experimental and easy-to-wear classics. The result is a downtown-girl look that pairs lace cargo vests with drop-crotch sweats, T-shirts worn with relaxed-fit velvet pants or a sexy pencil skirt with lace-up details topped with an ’80s leather jacket. “You can’t wear all experimental clothing head-to-toe,” the designer said. “So we try to do T-shirts and keep it really classic and easy and throw in some weird pieces.”
There are plenty of basics, such as jersey T-shirts with interesting details, shirtings and sweaters, which are a strong category for the brand. For Holiday, expect to see a post-apocalyptic “Tron” meets “Mad Max” mash-up. The “Mad Max” theme incorporates a red-on-red color palette, plenty of black and cut raw-edged leather. The “Tron” delivery will include bold colors such as blue and gray and a circuit-board print.
Wholesale prices range from $40 to $260. So far, the line has been picked up by retailers such as Shopbop, Revolve, Oak, American Rag, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Planet Blue, Fred Segal and Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong. For more information, call (213) 225-2699.—N. Jayne Seward
