Designers often point to a mood board while walking through a collection, but Lela Rose and her team go one step further by creating what they call a “story-teller.” It is an adaptation of a needlework sampler— essentially a small swathe of fabric embroidered with the motifs that serve as inspiration for the new season’s designs and prints.
“My dad was an ornithologist, so birds are in pretty much everything we do,” said Rose. Nearby, the capelet and pockets of a trench coat and bead-adorned tulle skirt look like life-size wearable versions of the aforementioned story-teller. A limited run of both garments is destined for Rose’s Jackson Hole concept stores, where her fan base laps up this level of intricacy. In fact, customization and one-of-a-kind details are so sought-after that the designer is soon opening a dedicated “branding bar” for these types of singular design flourishes in the “teeny tiny log cabin” located behind the original Wyoming boutique.
It’s a way to spread the handicraft that is so integral to the label’s DNA. “We’re always thinking about Americana and craft—and casual ways to wear things that have needlepoint embroidery,” added Rose as she pointed out twill pants and georgette shirts jazzed up with wildflower designs.
Unexpected—and wearable—nods to her beloved Westernwear are also evident in the fringe trim on a wool jacket, a pencil skirt constructed from faux leather loops, whipstitched suede, and a spectacular fil coupé dress with embellished geometric shapes and macrame tassels. For her crowd vying for the title of best-dressed at their next function, a bustier and matching trousers in metallic plum and a strapless mustard-hued velvet gown are standouts.
It is the first collection that the designer was able to present in her New York City HQ’s renovated rooftop suite, which comes complete with a patio for clients to enjoy an al fresco picnic while they shop. A true extension of the Lela Rose brand, the serene space’s ceiling and furniture even feature hand-carved bird ornamentation. “I love things that transform and can become so many different things, so you’re not just hemmed into one idea,” she said, demonstrating how her studio’s display wardrobes and a dressing room can shapeshift thanks to clever modular construction.
The same could be said for these multifaceted clothes, which could easily take you from the city to the country and back again.
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