While many looked towards sharper geometric objects this season, Maria McManus channeled something more understated: the rolling and misty landscape of her home in Ireland. “They call it a ‘soft day,’ when there’s a light rain,” she said. It’s a term that conjured an image wonderfully and was translated through the gentle color palette.
While not a traditional source of inspiration, a starting point for the collection came from poet and former president of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, who was an outspoken advocate for the preservation of Irish culture. Where his efforts often manifested through literature and the arts, McManus looked to dress to craft her own preservation project, one composed of Aran knits and gentle sloping silhouettes presented in the context of her New York City community. This led her to a quotation from Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf, “Behavior that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere.”
At her core, McManus is dedicated to sustainable production. It’s a behavior she wishes to see replicated on a larger scale in other American designers as she feels the popularity of sustainability practices receding once again. A sleek python-printed leather skirt was made from deadstock leather fabric sourced from one of her New York factories while a hand-crocheted bandana was knit by an artist on the Lower East Side. Elsewhere, a ribbed fisherman sweater blended Irish sensibilities with recycled Italian cashmere and cotton.
Within the collection, McManus managed to capture something which was both heartwarming and cozy that retained a polished feminine appeal. Romantic details abounded: An Aran knit was finished with a pearly button clasp, and the neckline of a black velvet dress was trimmed with a vintage pearl-adorned georgette ribbon trim. Few designers are currently highlighting the softer side of design; many women will want to feel the refreshing embrace of her silhouettes.
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