“You can’t come right out of the gate knowing exactly who you are and what people want from you. I still have a long way to go to realize my original concept for Crippen,” said Susie Crippen at a showroom preview of her latest Spring lineup. Since launching her namesake label just about a year ago, the former J Brand co-founder has worked to establish a collection of no-frills building blocks for a modern wardrobe. “At the end of the day, my job is to make things easier for my customers—doctors, lawyers, actresses, and producers who all lead busy lives—so they don’t have to overthink getting dressed in the morning,” explained the designer.
Over the past three seasons, she has evolved and expanded her range of fully functional yet sophisticated staples, including tailored suiting separates, basic button-ups, leather jackets and pants, and, naturally, jeans. This time around, Crippen introduced several more ladylike pieces, among them a full, bias-cut silk skirt made for twirling. “We tried to do a skirt three times and finally got it right,” she said. Another sophisticated standout was what she called the Gallery Dress, a clean, midi-length number with a flattering, relaxed fit that is just the kind of thing you’d wear to an art opening (coming straight from the office, no less) paired with a vintage bracelet and statement shoe, as Crippen suggested. As usual, the denim was on point. By now, she has developed a handful of solid styles (like the classic dark-rinse, straight-leg Little Dude, or the slim Stevie stovepipes) that she plans to stick with but update in different washes each season. One crisp ivory pair here appeared to have been flecked with small pieces of soil. “They come dirty, so you’ve already got that out of the way,” Crippen said. That’s the kind of chic convenience real women can get behind.
For more information, visit crippen-la.com.
— Brittany Adams
Photos: Courtesy of Susie Crippen
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