Elite Traveler January-February 2015

DISCOVER

elite traveler JAN/FEB 2015 ISSUE 1 50

Women’s style

Masters of understatement Bottega Veneta’s S/S 2015 collection

Less is more

To many followers of fashion, the chicest designer labels at the moment whisper instead of scream. Designers such as Joseph Altuzarra, Anthony Vaccarello, and Tomas Maier are creating clothing that is quietly luxurious, focusing on beautifully fluid fabrics in (updated) classic silhouettes. Dubbed by some as “stealth wealth” fashion, these easy-to-wear pieces elicit an insiders’ nod of recognition instead of explicitly boasting brand affiliations and the corresponding price tag. “It’s a style that comes through in not overdoing it – that’s the soul of it,” observes Sasha Sarokin, buying manager for Net-A-Porter. “It’s an effortlessness, an understatedness. A woman can look chic in this style as opposed to wearing statement pieces.” The influential website is carrying Vaccarello for the first time this spring, and is feeling confident about Maier’s mix for resort and spring collection of button-downs and breezy skirts and dresses. There is a versatility to these clothes, which often come in neutral colors such as tan, dark brown, and navy. They’re easy to add personal touches to – with a handbag or shoes, two categories where recognizable logos still prevail, even in the small letter imprint of a word such as “Celine” or “Hermes”. “We want fashion to support our lifestyle, not be another task,” explains Sarokin. “It’s a need for a versatile, high quality, functional wardrobe to support our lives, not for our lives to be the purpose of wearing more wild pieces.” While the trend feels new, its worth noting that Tomas Maier, one of its key designers, is also the creative director of the brand that epitomizes stealth wealth: Bottega Veneta, whose label-free woven leather bags are synonymous with understated, but unquestionably, luxurious elegance. altuzarra.com; anthonyvaccarello.com; tomasmaier.com; net-a-porter.com; bottegaveneta.com

Pale blue shirt in poplin cotton, $415, Tomas Maier

Cream leather shoulder bag, $1,180, Tomas Maier

Calf suede skirt, $1,980, Tomas Maier

Black grosgrain espadrilles, $465, Tomas Maier

Words: Rachel Felder