Novis (Q3534)
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| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Novis |
No description defined |
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Jordana Warmflash kept her message straightforward at Novis this season, explaining that, for Fall 2019, she really wanted to focus on pleasing the customer. She zoned in on her core silhouettes and the pieces that have driven her business forward over the last few years, including a long-sleeved, knee-length cocktail dress and a jumpsuit that she says she gets weekly requests for in white from brides-to-be. Warmflash is also known for her use of bold color, and there was plenty of it on display this season. She had been looking at Art Deco shapes and forms ahead of designing this collection too, which mainly resulted in a great print of a flapper girl’s profile. That pattern was used on a pretty paneled skirt and on one of Warmflash’s popular cocktail dresses. It was also blown up to epic proportions and embroidered to the side of a beautifully cut black evening gown.That dress won’t be for everyone, but the craftsmanship and detailing put into it were worthy of praise. So were the bright floral trousers and dresses, and the red tea dress punctuated by its metallic fil coupe. As a whole, Warmflash’s collection was on point because it showcased her ability to take popular, familiar shapes and evolve them with her use of color, new textures, and eye-catching prints.
6 February 2019
“Surrealist modernism” was the phrase Jordana Warmflash used to describe her vibrant Spring collection for Novis, but trippy would also suffice. The bold colors and hand-drawn prints that have made her label so infectious were pushed to the limit this season with a kaleidoscope of shades and bright ideas. In Warmflash’s world, the ordinary just won’t cut it, and her quirky take on the standards keeps things fun. After all, who wants a common day dress or tank when you can have one covered in candy-hued stripes?The levity that fashion can provide is something Warmflash encourages, and the collection’s color overload is no accident. “I’ve been on a rainbow kick,” she shared at her showroom. “We did a rainbow knit last season, and every time someone walked in here and saw it, they would be super happy. I felt we needed to keep that going!”Playfulness can seem effortless, but Warmflash is mindful of technique, and each piece contained a wealth of detail. Polka dots were splashed onto pleats for added texture; the billowing tulle skirts from Fall found new life as tiered dresses with sorbet shades. Patterns are Warmflash’s strong suit, and to create an offbeat variant of paisley, she reimagined it as swirls of vegetal forms. “I love doing prints in different ways because I think scale is such an interesting way of exploring things,” she said. “They read so differently when you have [them] really small or blown up.” To that end, Warmflash took the most dramatic shapes from her paisley and supersized them for embroidered evening gowns speckled with sequins.Basics aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Novis, but Warmflash included several options for those whose tastes skew minimalist. A white linen blouse with tonal lace and a delicate peplum, and separates with pleats and pockets in juicy shades of orange and pink were pared down without losing any of the cheery zest.
7 September 2018
When it comes to color, most designers go autumnal or muted for their Fall collections, but not Jordana Warmflash. For Novis’s latest outing, Warmflash went for some of the most vibrant shades you’ll see all season and then found compelling ways to make them work together. Inspired by ’80s interior design and the interplay of contrasting textures, she imagined a modern wardrobe for women who like their fashion with a touch of eccentricity. That meant cropped pants in shades of fuchsia; color-blocked dresses for day; and a geometric twist on a crochet pattern, which was splashed on velvet blazers and matching trousers.Warmflash’s skill lies in offering new twists on the familiar, and she showed it by reimagining staples. By developing colorful three-dimensional lace and then layering it over a checked pattern, she created dresses and blouses with a tactile appeal best appreciated via touch. Her signature knitwear received an update in proportions, with lightweight yarn woven into chunky turtlenecks large enough to get lost in, while loungewear went with icy blue cropped pants and coordinating sweaters standing in for the more casual options. Overall, the vibe was luxurious yet comfortable, with softness and wearability serving as a common thread. For Warmflash, the focus on comfort was common sense. “Women should be able to feel comfortable no matter the occasion,” she said post-presentation. “It doesn’t matter if you’re going to work or heading to an event.” True to form, even her eveningwear followed suit with tulle skirts, gossamer textures, and touches of sparkle, making everything seem lighter than air.
8 February 2018
There’s no shortage of florals this season, but Novis offered a twist on the Spring staple. Looking to vintage botanical drawings as a source of inspiration, designer Jordana Warmflash deconstructed her blooms. With hand-drawn petals, filaments, and stems, she worked the abstracted flower parts into a series of looks. The quirky sketches splashed across wide-leg pants, circle skirts, and delicate blouses provided an appealing contrast to more conservative pieces like floor-length eyelet dresses and cream-color crochet tops.Keeping things whimsical without accidentally verging into Wes Anderson territory, Warmflash played to her strengths: color and handcrafted detailing. Mixing unexpected colors like saffron and lavender into slouchy daywear, she created an atmosphere of ease that carried into the evening. Coordinated velvet Christian Louboutin mules added a touch of polish, but this was a collection for those who prefer even their ball gowns relaxed—something Warmflash can identify with. “Designing from a woman’s perspective, I’m always thinking about ways to flatter the body,” she shared post-presentation. “I want to make clothes that women want to wear—where they’re truly comfortable and can shine.” With chartreuse cocktail looks covered in embroidered banana leaves and ruffled gowns cinched with oversize crimson bows, Warmflash’s clientele is certain to find something for nights out—even if they ditch the dresses altogether for a pair of botanical-printed pajamas.
7 September 2017
A couch at her boyfriend’s grandfather’s house provided the jumping-off point for several of the patterns at Jordana Warmflash’s latest effort at Novis. “I became obsessed with this couch,” said the designer, whose couch-inheriting plans were sadly thwarted when her boyfriend declared the thing too itchy. So, instead, she turned it into pretty blouses, skirts, and dresses. “I hand-drew two prints based off of the floral design of the couch,” she said.Those prints commingled with a mid-century-modern influence, which showed up in the mix of geometric and organic shapes. “That’s also where the plaid came from,” noted Warmflash. The designer had a lot of fun with knits this season: in contrasting pink and purple the tactile “Bubble Wrap” dress was like a shot of serotonin on such a dreary day. Thoughtfully, the same dress came in a more wearable (for the shy) black and white, and Warmflash also made use of the texture in a top.Warmflash doesn’t typically do basic, so even her more straightforward styles have something special about them. Often she uses color to impart such interest, as was the case with a cream-color coat accented with a pink collar, or a fitted black dress cut through with graphic lines of color.
9 February 2017
Not so long ago, Novis was best known for its bold, art-inspired prints and painterly splashes of color. These days, designer Jordana Warmflash is all about texture. While in the past you could spot a hand-painted Novis print from across the room, her Spring ’17 collection required a closer look: Hand-crocheted knits, soft jacquards, and handmade glass buttons felt more in step with the personal, artisanal details women are looking for now. On a 90-degree day in Chelsea, the turquoise, white, and black hand-crocheted dress that opened the presentation felt like a breath of fresh air—ditto the A-line knit midi dress, which featured hand-crocheted stripes as well as machine-made ones, which will translate to a friendlier price point. (The entirely hand-crocheted dress might set you back a paycheck or two, but you likely won’t find anything similar at the department store.)Warmflash typically designs each collection around a specific artist, from Ellsworth Kelly to Matisse. This season, she was thinking more broadly about geometry. The color-blocked and printed-silk pieces were the most literal riffs on that theme, but next to all the soft, touchable textures—like a vintage-y marigold jacquard dress with sweet covered buttons—they felt a bit flat. More compelling were the skirts and dresses in a crisp, white macramé lace, which will no doubt be a hit at retail. Romance isn’t Warmflash’s thing, so you’d never expect to see traditional lace in her collections, but the sleek, geometric lace she employed here was a nice surprise.
9 September 2016
Ask any woman what the most difficult item to shop for is, and her answer will likely be pants. The elusive “perfect pants” have the ideal rise, length, and drape, plus several other make-or-break details like fabric, color, and comfort. Not to mention rear view! Four-year-old labelNovisisn’t exactly a resource for pants—it is known for printed dresses and quirky knits—but one of the brand’s recent best-sellers was a cuffed, ankle-length trouser in orchid pink.“I think since we aren’t known for pants, they have to be really bold and unexpected for you to want to buy them,” designer Jordana Warmflash said. That speaks to the Novis ethos on the whole; other designers have already mastered black pants and white T-shirts, so Warmflash doesn’t mess with basic items like those. Women go to her for Matisse-inspired prints and sequined multicolored dresses. (The pink pants also came in a more “practical” burgundy, but those weren’t nearly as popular.)For Resort, Warmflash reimagined her popular pants in candy-apple red and cool mint, with softly tailored jackets to match. The palette was inspired by Esther Stewart, an Australian abstract artist who teams unlikely brights such as mustard and teal with washed-out neutrals. The reference showed up most literally in Warmflash’s color-blocked dresses, the best one being a crocheted number in pink and red. While past collections were heavy on prints, which can feel a bit flat, Resort emphasized new, touchable textures and details, like a fringy dress with glass buttons and a nubby cotton jacquard.
2 June 2016
Ellsworth Kelly was always the inspiration behind Jordana Warmflash’s newNoviscollection, but the mood shifted a bit when the artist passed away last December. The fact that Kelly’s legacy was in the news means that shoppers who weren’t already familiar with his work might now notice a few of his trademarks in the clothes. A long-sleeved minidress, for instance, had circular, hand-sequined appliqués that seemed to be peeling off, which Warmflash lifted from one of Kelly’s abstract paintings; and simple A-line gowns were color-blocked with Kelly-esque swaths of orange, blush, and canary yellow.In the past, Novis erred on the craftier side of things with busy jacquards and mashed-up prints, so this outing felt a lot cleaner and easier to wear. A striped sequin cocktail dress was a standout, but Warmflash included some refined basics, too, like cuffed trousers in orchid and crimson. She’s always been known for her intarsia knits, but she could stand to grow her daywear a bit more; those trousers were the perfect length and could be styled a dozen different ways. Jackets in similar colors would be great tossed over her bright sweaters or worn with the matching pants as a laid-back suit. That would give dress-averse shoppers another reason to consider Novis, too.
13 February 2016
Art has always played a big role inJordana Warmflash's collections forNovis, but while references to Henri Matisse may have skewed too literal in the past, a more pared-back approach for Spring should catch buyers’ attention. She drew inspiration from Clarice Cliff’s graphic, slightly rustic pottery for her vibrant color palette of mint, cerulean, and poppy, while hits of black and white ensured the clothes were, for the most part, still quite wearable.Sleeker silhouettes helped that cause, too. Column gowns, A-line skirts, and razor-sharp trousers acted like blank slabs of porcelain to be decorated with geometric prints, kitschy landscapes, and matte beading. Print and color are integral to the Novis message, but Warmflash should continue to explore texture, as well. The best pieces featured a soft color-blocked crochet, which captured the theme, but also had a warm, artisanal feeling that will appeal to a wide range of customers.
11 September 2015
“We always play with a hand element,” says Jordana Warmflash. The designer is explaining the craft-based philosophy that lies behind each Novis collection—“artfully made clothes” meant to capture the eye. This season, the handiwork was seen in a crocheted jacket with grosgrain and chiffon woven through it like ribbon, and a clever cotton macramé that provided more wearable texture, something Warmflash hoped to explore for Resort. “I wanted to play with the juxtaposition of something fluid and hand-done and something more geometric and hard-edged,” she says.There was a watercolor print, too, a first for Warmflash, who painted the blue and yellow dahlias herself, then transferred them onto flamingo pink blouses and ruffled frocks. Yet another first was the introduction of fringe, particularly one statement dress: cobalt and green silk yarn, wound and twisted into tassels that shook gently as the model walked. The designer also applied the technique to a calf-length skirt, whose cheery range of red and pink tones felt right for the transitional season. “It’s really fun, right?” adds Warmflash. “The Novis woman is someone who wants to wear clothes that make them happy.”
6 June 2017
Bold colors and prints are suddenly back on everyone's radar, but for Novis designer Jordana Warmflash, they were never out of style. Warmflash introduced her print-heavy vision right in the middle of the minimalist wave in 2012, but still garnered attention from shoppers, retailers, and celebrities who craved a splashy palette. Perhaps her biggest endorsement comes from Taylor Swift, who has an entire wardrobe of Novis crop tops and matching high-waist skirts. That girly pairing was missing from today's Resort collection, replaced by leaner silhouettes like an ankle-skimming wrap skirt, a high-neck chiffon gown, and a one-shoulder party dress.While construction is never an afterthought for Warmflash, her prints always pack the biggest punch. Past collections featured mainly geometric designs, and there were plenty of those to go around here. But she also drew inspiration from Clarice Cliff's colorful pottery, whipping up a playful watercolor print with teapots, strawberries, bananas, lobsters, and carrots—essentially everything but the kitchen sink. It was supersized into something vaguely abstract but still showed the artist's hand, making it perfect for girls who want their classic shirtdresses to come with a side of kitsch.
3 June 2015
Jordana Warmflash's Fall collection for Novis coincided neatly with the end of the Museum of Modern Art exhibitionHenri Matisse: The Cut-Outs. Warmflash cited Matisse's body of work as her main inspiration, and any art-history buff would recognize the French artist's influence immediately upon entering the designer's West Village studio. Squiggle patterns and a splashy palette of mint green, sky blue, purple, and black felt like a burst of energy in the middle of a subzero New York afternoon.While another designer might have cheapened the mid-century reference, art is a constant source of inspiration for Warmflash; just as Matisse was dedicated to color and form at the end of his career, her aesthetic is centered around graphic patterns and bold contrasts. Instead of slapping Matisse-inspired digital prints onto frocks and coats—which would have been a total cop-out—Warmflash elevated the idea by stitching the imperfect shapes into jacquards and piecing them together on dresses. She also played with scale and embellishment, starting out with a tiny, somewhat retro grid print, which grew into giant cut-paper prints and fuzzy color-blocked coats. Similarly, the seamed squiggles on silk dresses graduated to glittering sequins and, finally, a pair of floor-length gowns exploding with 3-D squiggle appliqués. Unfinished edges made them look like they had actually been cut with a pair of Matisse's scissors. It was hard to imagine a pretty young thing actually wearing one of those gowns on the red carpet, but Novis fans will delight in the ultra-wearable powder blue flares, playful outerwear, and sweet shifts.
14 February 2015
Jordana Warmflash's quirky, unconventional use of color and pattern has established Novis as a brand to watch. And anyone who's been following the emerging designer over the past three years knows she's an art fanatic. This season, it was Tom Wesselmann's Pop Art paintings that piqued her interest. "I liked how he would take ordinary objects and make something special out of them," she said at her Spring presentation. Building off that idea, Warmflash created some Pop Art of her own with abstract tiled motifs of everyday items like fruit, which were splashed on strapless silk column gowns and pleated miniskirts that would fit right in at the MoMA Store. The designer continued to reinterpret Wesselmann's works into bold, textured jacquard knits (woven from fine Cariaggi yarn) with novelty pullovers and fit-and-flare frocks boasting bustier details. Meanwhile, a standout cocktail dress featured allover sequins and a hand-beaded fish on one side, which was a cheeky proposal. Elsewhere, Warmflash extracted the windowpane checks and stripes from those busier looks and spotlighted them on their own in the form of banded Bermuda shorts and floor-scraping plaid skirts.Despite all the zesty prints going on, it was ultimately the simpler pieces here that made the most impact. Cute bib tops with side cutouts were constructed from supple white leather, and a cluster of three solid evening gowns should appeal to established Novis fans such as Taylor Swift. Overall, the collection had plenty of vivid appeal, but it felt a bit too similar to previous outings. And while there's something to be said for consistency, it would be good to see Warmflash push herself to evolve more.
6 September 2014
Over the past five seasons, Novis' Jordana Warmflash has been honing in on her brand message, which involves taking classically feminine pieces and giving them a quirky twist. For her debut Resort collection, the up-and-coming designer revisited Pop Art-inspired prints (Fall referenced Paul Klee; Spring drew on the works of Herman Miller and Eames) in unexpected, off-kilter color combinations. Juxtaposing saturated shades of grass green, cobalt blue, and cherry red, Warmflash articulated the lineup's key graphic in a variety of fabrications, featuring the vibrant block pattern in jacquard on a shapely car coat and voluminous pleated shorts, which were mixed together with matching intarsia sweaters. Continuing to play with scale and proportion, she blew up a section of the artisanal motif and incorporated it into a breezy organdy shirtdress with a built-in sash detail around the waist. It had a more subtle appeal than the clashing looks, as did a simple, white leather frock and crisp, wide-legged jumpsuit cut from a stretch cotton sateen. Elsewhere, Warmflash experimented with embellishment in the form of a shimmery, sequined cocktail number (the paillettes were placed on organza to create the impression of stripes and paint blobs). It was a definite standout that was at once youthful and sophisticated, and captured the essence of who the Novis girl is.
9 June 2014
Since launching her ready-to-wear line, Novis (a tribute to her grandmother's maiden name), two years ago, Jordana Warmflash has become recognized for her clever, original prints and retro-inspired silhouettes. The emerging designer, who cut her teeth at Zac Posen and Alice + Olivia, was recently announced as one of this year's Ecco Domani winners, which produced a palpable buzz surrounding her Fall presentation. This season, Warmflash was inspired by Bauhaus artist Paul Klee, and she reinterpreted his expressionist paintings in a variety of ways. Subtly nodding to Klee's cubism, Warmflash showed graphic, blocked plaid pieces including knee-grazing culottes, swingy topcoats, and a sporty bomber jacket with rubberized tweed sleeves. She continued to explore Klee's works with a pretty watercolor landscape print featured on fit-and-flare frocks and miniskirts, and also incorporated the motif into a vibrant, intarsia jacquard sweater. Elsewhere, Warmflash embroidered geometric-shaped appliqués onto evening looks including a nude organza gown and a matching navy ball skirt, which looked modern paired with a cableknit crewneck. All in all, Warmflash's latest lineup suggested she is on the right path, and will continue to develop her vision in the future.
10 February 2014