Veronica Beard (Q3618)
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Veronica Beard is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Veronica Beard |
Veronica Beard is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Boho is back and nobody is more excited than Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard. “We’ve always loved boho so much. Then the world took such a pause on it when it was quiet luxury,” said Swanson Beard, who was speaking on behalf of both Veronicas while her sister-in-law faced travel delays. “We’re so happy to have it back.”That said, the duo’s latest offering is far from the current wave’s flowing layers of pastel silk-crepon, lacy blouses, and chunky statement necklaces—this is boho by way of Nantucket, manifested in paisley prints, unfussy shirtdresses, and ’70s-inspired sailor jeans. With their collection “Take It Easy,” the Veronicas are doing just that, sticking with novelty denim, slouchy sets, and patterns galore in a sun-baked color palette.Accessories are a top priority this season, as the brand’s bag business is still in its infancy. But in spite of its newness, Swanson Beard claims that their latest addition is exploding in popularity. “Our shoe business is on fire, our bags outperformed,” she said. Shoes and purses boast utilitarian paracord accents. “You’re gonna see a lot of those from us,” she added. Elsewhere, East-West silhouettes, studded clogs, and jelly sandals were par for the course, as were the similarly à la mode suede, butter yellow, and barn jackets.The pre-fall offering underscores what Veronica Beard does best: making trends both approachable and accessible to their customers. Pointing to a black-and-white patterned pant set, Swanson Beard said, “this is like my dream summer outfit—polished but super easy.” It certainly helps that they are their own best customers.
4 December 2024
After looking to the 1960s in their recentresortcollection, Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard hoped to bottle something a little more ephemeral for spring 2025: the It-Girl. “You can always envision that girl,” Swanson Beard says. “It’s all about herje ne sais quoi, her style, and how she puts things together. It’s this relaxed, luxe, casual vibe.”The Veronicas hoped to capture the It-Girl spirit in part through an extensive denim offering, from jorts to jackets. “Denim, for us, is a huge emphasis this season. [An It-Girl] always has this statement denim,” Swanson Beard said. Menswear-inspired slouchy suiting also takes center stage. (They’re hesitant to rely too much on their staple Dickey jacket, turning instead to heat-friendly options.) “We did a lot of short sleeve blazers, some pedal pusher suits, and vest suiting,” Miele Beard explained.The duo is firmly over quiet luxury, falling back on loud prints here. “Print is just so totally polarizing, very personal,” Swanson Beard said. After aspring 2024 collectionof muted colors and minimal print (save for the occasional stripe), the designers didn’t hold back, exploring everything from navy and white leather pieced stripes to a floral charmeuse. Even their denim incorporates pattern; they tried out a denim eyelet shorts-and-jacket set, as well as laser-printed paisley jeans. “We have a print language that we always seem to go back to as a brand,” Miele Beard added. “You can pick it out.”While they acknowledge that prints aren’t for everyone, the duo are at their best when they ignore what’s trendy and embrace their personal tastes. The glittery multicolored striped knit set and the long-sleeve green charmeuse maxi dress with a pink floral pattern aren’t necessarily the pedal pushers and vests that some It-Girls are wearing today. But isn’t an It-Girl someone with an unwavering confidence in their style, regardless of what’s popular?
5 September 2024
“We’re coming out of that understated luxury moment and looking for a little bit…more,” declared Veronica Swanson Beard as she and her Veronica Beard co-founder (and sister-in-law) Veronica Miele Beard walked through their resort 2025 collection. They titled the lineup “Modern Lady,” a play on their ’60s mod inspiration.“It was the beginning of that ease in sportswear,” explained Swanson Beard of their keenness for exploring that particular decade. While the lineup included micro-minis and a few nice little sheaths, the energy was less Mary Quant and Swinging London, and more Bonnie Cashin by way of the innovators that preceded her, Claire McCardell and Clare Potter among them.It’s fitting for the Veronicas to look at sportswear’s early practitioners to find inspiration. The idea in itself is not only a deeply American concept, but also one historically developed by women for women—not a big departure from what Veronica Beard is to its customers today. “Transitional, clean, with a very feminine, sporty retro feeling,” is how the pair described the lineup. Matching sets were a focus, as were mini dresses styled as-is or over pants. Elsewhere, a trench coat was hybridized with wool suiting.The Veronicas are smart to keep “pre-styled” looks at the center of their offering. Their customers care about fashion and are affluent enough to invest in it, but their priority, for the most part, is ease. This is something that the makers of the matching sets of the 1960s understood way back when. By reviving the look in this post-quiet luxury moment the Veronicas might be on the money, too.
5 June 2024
The Jane Birkin effect is real. The beloved actress inspired the handbag with the most pop cultural clout in history, the Hermès Birkin, and there’s no denying that her iconic laidback style was instrumental in defining the look of the ’70s. Her death last year sparked a contemporary reappraisal of her sartorial contributions on TikTok. There’s currently over 13,000 posts tagged #JaneBirkin in the app, which collectively have accrued a whopping 374.7 million views.While Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard are not on TikTok (good for them!), they’re on the same page as those who do use the app. Their pre-fall lineup was inspired by their ’70s muses, with Birkin taking top billing. “She’s the heroine of our collection,” said Miele Beard, with her sister-in-law adding, “We were all about these classic pieces that she always made her own, the cornerstones of a wardrobe that are important when we get dressed every day.”Veronica Beard is the kind of American fashion business that exemplifies what it means to make a trusty, good ol’ wardrobe essential. This much is on display in this look book with barn jackets made in supple wool and cut to be worn as both jackets or mini dresses, buttery leather separates, just-right denim washes on jeans and shirting, and a couple of air-spun Alpaca knits. A tapestry print offered both in chiffon and covered in transparent sequins added a boho ’70s flair, but the stars of the season are a cashmere blazer and a plush shearling jacket, both of which are part of a new premium priced assortment within the brand’s existing line.Also new here are the first few Veronica Beard handbags. Instead of staying put in New York, the Veronicas decamped to Los Angeles to throw a launch party for the new category. Their goal is to get their customers to wear their bags as much as Brikin did hers. “These things are made to beworn,” Miele Beard said.
8 February 2024
If “quiet luxury” was an online phenomenon first, the prim minimalism the term was dreamed up to describe has since become an IRL aesthetic. It’s slightly preppy, sophisticated yet easy, and plays into the aspirational archetypes of wealth. The effect that this has had on style beyond the Internet hinges on a reinvigoration of essentials as fashion. Basics are back in.But that’s just another day at work at Veronica Beard, where Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard have built a robust business around the power of everyday simplicity, tapping into their personal wants and needs; the Veronicas are designers and their own best customers.Highlights of this pre-fall collection include a light and effortless brown crepe dress, a red polka dot silk sheath with shirring on the hips to flatter the shape, and a lineup of vest iterations that includes halter cuts, cropped lengths, and suit sets. Of these more fashion forward tailoring silhouettes, Miele Beard said, “our customer loves to try these different versions of the suit, they’re super transitional and simply versatile and easy to style.”
4 December 2023
“Effortlessness, easy chic, and a lot of restraint,” is how Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard described their spring lineup. “I think people are paring it back in every aspect of their lives,” said Swanson Beard at a preview. “We’re coming off of that post pandemic excess of the past two years.”But this outlook doesn’t imply austerity at the Veronicas, but simplicity. The collection offered no prints save a couple of stripes, and its logos were reduced to a couple of crests carrying over from fall, embroidered on shirting or embossed on golden buttons. “The silhouette speaks so much, the fabric speaks so much,” said Miele Beard. “Thewomanspeaks so much in the clothes,” chimed Swanson Beard.That silhouette revolved around a nipped waist and an A-line bottom. Circle skirts (“we can’t sell enough khaki in the spring season,” Swanson Beard said of the lookbook opener), wide-legged trousers, and slightly flared tailored denim were paired with knit tops or tailored vests, which seem to have taken over daywear over the last few seasons. Both Veronicas were wearing them today—one in suiting and another in denim—as were two of myVoguecolleagues.But where the duo really shined this season was in their knitwear offering: A run of tight rib knit separates in green and white felt easy and approachable while decisively dressed up, and a very special cardigan in look 12 was cut like a jacket and covered in sheer sequins.While they’re skipping the runways in lieu of a show this season, the Veronicas are still making their presence felt this fashion week. They’re throwing a dinner this weekend to celebrate their fall campaign, and they have a store opening uptown later this month. The secret ingredient at Veronica Beard is simply that they think of the way the clothes are worn in practice rather than theory. Their clothes come “pre-styled” (see an Oxford stripe button down that’s tacked in the back for a flattering cinch and has high side slits for easy tucking) and ready to be worn. Easier said than done, but the Veronicas know to leave the easy for their customers and keep the challenge to themselves.
12 September 2023
If a theme has emerged at the New York resort collections, it’s ease. At Veronica Beard, this translated as subtle, polished twists on tried and true classics. Sixties references in mod cuts and proportions serve as the base layer for this contemporary lineup, without venturing too far into redux territory. Sharp, squared shoulder tweed jackets are dressed down by mini skirts and shiny foil-printed denim, and the utility details that are often integrated into the brand’s preppy clothes take the form of sporty grosgrain touches on prim tweed jackets.“Pre-styled” is a concept that the Veronica Beard designers often invoke when describing their collections; in this lineup that manifested as a range of sets: skirt suits, cable-knit twin sets, and quilted denim combos. Among the highlights were a striped dress with a shirred slit and a pleated top worn with matching trousers; both looks are easy yet polished, and highly wearable.
14 June 2023
Last year, fashion insiders felt a rollercoaster of emotions after a beloved staple, Barneys Downtown, was converted into a Spirit Halloween store for the holiday season. There were memes, dramatic Tweets, and funny personal essays. Where had glamour gone? Barneys was a cipher for chicness, after all, and a safe haven for many fashionphiles. Since last Halloween, many have wondered what would become of the former store and its iconic white marble spiral staircase. But fear no more, for there’s still some hope: Tonight, Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard of, you guessed it, Veronica Beard, returned the building’s allure with the help of a special guest.Suki Waterhouse, the English model, actor, and singer, descended from the spiral staircase singing her song “Neon Signs,” which not only set the stage for the Veronicas’ fall 2023 collection, but was also a cheeky nod to the launch of their new logo, which was illuminated from behind against the back wall of the ground floor of the space.“This was probably the most luxe, important fall we’ve ever done,” said the pair backstage after the show. “We are launching our new logo, and a crest version for this collection.” That’s because fall was all about “campus-core” for the designers, who looked to cement the Veronica Beard uniform with collegiate stripe sweaters and sweatshirts, skirt suits and a wide-range of suiting ideas, and strong shouldered tailoring (cut both close to the body and oversized). There is a pragmatism and pre-styled appeal to Veronica Beard, something the designers leaned into this season as they expanded their denim offering with jeans and denim tailoring for day, and leather separates for evening. The label was never sold at Barneys, but this collection had many worthwhile contenders one could easily picture on the store’s racks.There’s been much discourse this season about thinness on the runways. This issue isn’t new, of course, but the discussion is growing louder. To their credit, the Veronicas had a more expansive idea than most when it comes to casting. They know who their woman is, and they know their shows are not just for editors and buyers, but also for their customers. Giving the opportunity for their fans to see themselves on the runway, whether it’s with the casting, at the place they used to shop, or in the way the clothes are styled, is the kind of thinking that has kept the Veronicas in business for this long, after all.
15 February 2023
This season for the Veronicas—Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard—was “all about the suit and sets,” they said backstage before their show this morning at Spring Studios. The Veronica Beard brand is pragmatic and finds glamour in utility. Its customers span a wide range of ages and occupations: The label is informed not only by them, on and off social media, but also by the front row at the show.The charm of Veronica Beard is that it’s easy and unchallenging, just like the clothes were this morning. Tailoring was the grounding element. A lineup of deftly cut jackets and vests walked down the runway styled as full suits or separates, outlining a colorful assortment of day-to-night staples. Draped and shirred poplin dresses provided refreshing variation in silhouette, while modular jackets (that unzip from parkas to waist length) and knit separates rounded out the one-stop-shop collection with the signature ease Veronica Beard customers have come to expect season after season.Novelty for spring came not in the shape of traditional print vehicles but as “texture over print,” as the Veronicas said of a range of cheerful plaids, stripes, and a floral jacquard. Most striking were a range of very luxe tan perforated leather separates and a scaled up diagonal plaid with sequins. The latter spoke best about the label’s versatility.
12 September 2022
Building a post-pandemic wardrobe seems to be on almost every designer’s mind this resort season. Tailored jackets, knitwear separates, and a plethora of denim options have been the go-to for contemporary brands looking to wardrobe a woman on the move again. But what is this woman doing now? At Veronica Beard,the Veronicas(co-founders and sisters-in-law Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard) seem to have that figured out.“With some people still working remotely, for resort our woman is on the go,” they said during a preview.“She’s taking the kids to school, going to parties, traveling, maybe even moving, and she needs a wardrobe for it all.” This was a wardrobe refresher of a collection, full of tailored jackets, jeans, and dresses.The Veronicas say they like their clothes to be “done for you,” meaning that they design with end-goal styling in mind. This practicality is exemplified by the opening look, a tailored jacket (also offered as a mini dress) that sits as if one shoulder had casually slipped off, as well as by a vegan leather jacket with a pre-ruched sleeve and a convertible moto jacket/vest. While blazers are a signature at the label, this season the eye-catching novelties we’re the dresses, most with ruched and gathered details referencing the ’80s. The standout was a cerulean blue taffeta halter neck dress with a ballooning skirt. Curiously enough, the least pragmatic of the pieces.Needless to say, ease is the name of the game at Veronica Beard. And while this may not always make the most fashion forward pieces, it sure keeps a customer happy. “We really just want to make cool pieces that you’ll have for 10 years,” they said towards the end of our meeting. Their pragmatism may just help them accomplish that.
13 June 2022
Functionality is the name of the game for Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard. Their customers are busy, and they want clothing that can take them from the boardroom to a cocktail bar to a 5-hour flight to a movie with their kids. They’re women who, as the Veronicas say, “make it happen,” and they want to wear nice clothes. Not needle-moving clothes or clothes imbued with layers of meaning, but sophisticated, uncomplicated clothes. The Veronicas provide that. And they did, again, for fall 2022.Jeans now make up 30 percent of their business, and the collection features a denim shacket tied over a dark red suit, as well as both skinny jeans and flares. But the pull towards Veronica Beard, what likely gets passed around in Georgetown, Manhasset, Dallas, and Palm Beach as a word-of-mouth recommendation, are the jackets and separates. The most interesting of these offerings for fall are a three-piece camel suit and an evening set with rhinestone trim. Another recurring theme is trompe l’oeil jackets with sleeves in a different fabric than the body, giving the effect of a vest and a top. The Veronicas emphasize that this allows their customer ease: they don’t have to stress about styling. While this approach has clearly worked for their business, total efficiency rarely leads to the most intriguing results during Fashion Week.
14 February 2022
Veronica Beard shifted half of its business to direct-to-consumer during the pandemic, buoyed by a growing list of stores (Palm Beach is next) and a booming e-commerce site. Relying less on department stores has given Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard more room to experiment, but retailer data still informs much of what they do.For pre-fall, for instance, they said stores are predicting a major return to tailoring—and not the suit-and-sneakers kind. Women are looking for sharp, modern suits to wear to the office and out at night; Miele Beard pointed out a pinstripe navy blazer and matching trousers, something of a riposte to the headlines about the end of workwear. In certain offices, a flowery scarf dress and checked blazer might pass as an equally sharp yet playful 9-to-5 look.Pre-fall’s midsummer timeline means we tend to see swimsuits and turtlenecks in equal measure. For the Veronicas, the challenge is to create easy, relatively lightweight clothes that will still be relevant when the temperatures dip. A strong-shouldered cotton military blazer had transitional appeal; ditto the final look: a black T-shirt tucked into a narrow utility skirt. In the showroom, it became clear that it was actually one piece, not two: a trompe l’oeil dress designed to eliminate the guesswork. Miele Beard reported that trompe l’oeil and “built-in” styling details are especially in demand right now; the Veronicas’ customer may be back at the office, which means she has less time to fuss with her outfit in the morning.
2 December 2021
Pre-2020, Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard threw some of New York Fashion Week’s most raucous presentations, with ear-splitting music and no shortage of cocktails. In contrast, their spring 2022 event was strikingly chill: a morning coffee presentation with no models, just clothes on mannequins. It emphasized VB’s purpose: wearable, approachable clothes that make an impact even on a hanger.The Veronicas said they’ve seen a spike in demand for evening wear and shoes, but this collection's highlights were more casual. Their signature blazer was reworked as a collarless, hip-length jacket in raw burlap, a refreshingly unfussy departure from their usual sharp tailoring and tech-y fabrics. Other jackets came with rounded sleeves, echoing our impulse for more ease and comfort during lockdown. On that note, their denim is selling, too, and spring 2022’s key shape was a bleached-out flare with frayed edges. For the woman returning to an office—likely one with a newly relaxed dress code—a chambray trouser would make a sharp yet low-key option.Veronica Beard isn’t a label that tackles political issues or moves fashion’s conversation forward; the designers’ prerogative is to make uplifting, confidence-boosting clothes for women like them—“women who get up and get it done, live life to the fullest, and crave wonder and grace,” as they put it in the release. Spring’s relaxed silhouettes and hard-working fabrics, from that burlap to a soft, intentionally-rumpled cotton, should resonate with their customers at every stage of reemergence.
11 September 2021
This time last year, loungewear was the inevitable theme of the resort collections, from clingy ribbed-knit sets to actual sweatpants. Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard felt the impulse to add loungewear, too, introducing more casual items like cable-knit sweats and hoodies to their repertoire. But on a call to discuss their resort 2022 lineup, the Veronicas were happy to report that their customer never really wanted sweats and leggings—at least, not from VB. Even at the pandemic’s peak, their woman was more likely to buy a jacket than a jogger.“Classic with a twist” is how the designers typically describe their clothes, but they used a different word for resort:emotional. “What’s going to make her want this jacket instead of a blazer from someone else?” Miele Beard said. Their answer was to add new details to their signature styles: A brown checked blazer came with crochet epaulettes, while a blue tweed jacket had elasticized cuffs for extra volume. The opening checked trench reverses to a solid, and a patched leather moto in shades of rust will stand out from hackneyed black versions. Similarly, the cropped, gold-buttoned chocolate puffer could appeal to women looking for a softer, subtler option than the usual black Michelin-man coat.For the Veronicas and many of their peers, resort 2022 is the first collection since the pandemic that they could imagine wearing to the office, to events, and simply out in the world again. Their vision of “re-emerging” isn’t as bold or colorful as those of other labels, but it reflects how Swanson Beard believes women want to feel right now: put-together, efficient, and strong. The ruffly dresses and bright florals of seasons past were mostly absent as a result, replaced by lean, ’70s-inspired midis. In one look, a floor-grazing paisley dress was styled with a boxy, hip-length navy blazer—a compelling idea for sharpening up your own floaty, bohemian frock.
7 June 2021
There’s a gray sweatsuit in Veronica Beard’s fall 2021 collection. There’s also a minidress fully encrusted with glittering silver sequins. The two items represent the poles Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard have observed in their customer’s shopping habits of late: serious comfort and serious fantasy. Neither was exactly a VB strength in the past; the Veronicas built their brand on comfortable, polished sportswear, the kind of in-between clothes that intentionallydon’tcater to extremes. But so much has changed in our pandemic year. They’ve officially leaned into the loungewear trend, from that gray sweatsuit to more novel interpretations like a flannel blazer with stretchy knit sleeves and the latest addition to their line of (mostly heeled) shoes: a Velcro-strapped sneaker.On the fantasy front, that sparkly mini was an outlier among subtler pieces you could dress up or down, like a paisley chiffon midi-dress and a lustrous printed velvet suit. But it was still the sportswear that stood out most. This collection had a softer, slightly rugged feel influenced by the outdoorsy attitude that’s been sweeping fashion: Oversized camo jackets and quilted shells replaced the Veronicas’ usual sharp blazers, and in lieu of their signature flared jeans were cargo pants tucked into riding boots. Unsurprisingly, the two pieces they called out as favorites were jackets: a coat spliced down the middle—half classic houndstooth, half rust plaid—and an oversized blazer with varying patches of chocolate wool. It may be a few seasons yet until women are craving the Veronicas’ tailored, double-breasted suits again; for now those blanket-like proportions with just a touch of structure feel just right.
15 February 2021
Much has been written about “Zoom dressing,” i.e. wearing a stylish top, jacket, or statement earrings with comfy pants (and maybe slippers) safely out of frame. For Veronica Beard co-founders and sisters-in-law Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard, the shift to above-the-waist dressing explains why their novelty jackets are continuing to sell, even as tailoring softens elsewhere. The VB customer who’s still working from home may not feel excited by the black blazer she wore in the Before Times, but a modish tweed with big tortoise buttons? It has video conferencing potential.The Veronicas’ pre-fall collection included a few more of those statement toppers—a crimson leather double-breasted blazer, a raw-edged bouclé jean jacket—and showed a new emphasis on outerwear. Swanson Beard chalked it up to another 2020 trend: outdoor activities, from our long walks on the Hudson River to al fresco dining and backyard barbecues. For New Yorkers, a coat has always been a calling card, but investment outerwear is likely to become a trend throughout the country. The Beards’ lightly-quilted army jacket has year-round appeal; wear it alone in the spring, when this collection will ship, then layer it up with heavier knits and scarves as the temperatures dip.It wasn’t all jackets. Frequent customers might notice a bit of a tomboyish spirit, with faded jeans and easy trousers replacing the ruched minidresses of seasons past. Many of those pants were styled with matching tops, like a set in a ruby-red block print. For women who’ve spent most of 2020 in loungewear, it will register as an elevated take on a sweatsuit; for tailoring types, it’s more of a low-key alternative to a suit. In either case, its mix of ease and interest will resonate with lots of women come next spring, whether they’re back at work or not.
2 December 2020
Like many of their peers and fellow New Yorkers, Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard found solace in nature after the onset of COVID-19. Getting out of the city was revitalizing in the dismal months of March and April, but one of the biggest adjustments was in the casual way they were suddenly dressing every day. With no meetings or events to attend, they were in their “off-duty” wardrobes all the time, and it emphasized precisely what had been missing in the Veronica Beard collection before 2020.In lieu of their slick double-breasted suits, for instance, are now more laid-back twists on “matching sets,” like a cotton floral button-down and shorts combo and a lemon utility jacket with matching trousers. Elsewhere, the designers broke up their suits and found more eccentric ways to style their jackets: A double-breasted navy blazer was layered over a knit bra and floral pants, and an oversized plaid jacket was teamed with a floral maxi. Another blazer came with new elbow-length sleeves and sporty ribbed cuffs. Their best-selling foulard dresses also came in newly eased-up proportions, a comfier departure from their body-conscious ruching.Shooting the collection in a field of wildflowers in upstate New York, the designers said they wanted the lush setting and optimistic palette to reflect warmer, happier days to come. Escapism and wanderlust are becoming a common theme for spring 2021; it’s a valid impulse in #TimesLikeThese, though the risk is that it may feel more detached than dreamy to some customers. Many of us are facing the realities of the present head-on and can’t jet off to a coastal resort or summer home for some fresh air. Still, the more utilitarian angle of this collection will feel entirely right in 2021; it’ll be a while before we need a gold-buttoned suit, but we do need comfortable, unfussy clothes that bring a bit of uplift to the difficult days that are surely ahead.
17 September 2020
The resort collections used to function as a glimpse of what we’d wear during the holidays; now, they’ve been recast as our “re-emerging” wardrobes, an influx of product to delight in after months of isolation. We’re judging these clothes not just for their beauty and novelty, as we might have in the past, but also for how they address the ways our lives have changed—and how they’ll continue to change as we approach December, when the collections ship, and beyond.Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard are firm believers in the uplifting power of getting dressed, and they’ve already witnessed it over the past few weeks. As their stores reopened across the country—from San Francisco to Miami to Nantucket—they’ve been surprised by the rush of customers. Their clothes are well-suited to this period of change: sweaters, blouses, day dresses, and other easy, feminine stuff that isn’t too fussy or too expensive. For resort, they took extra care to relax their silhouettes and keep the styling relatively simple, the suggestion being that we’ll want to be comfortable as we resume our activities. (In the backdrop of each photo, the Veronicas unfurled backdrops depicting what those activities might be: attending a kid’s soccer game, going to the grocery store, shopping on the streets of New York.) There’s hardly any tailoring, save for a pajama-like emerald satin suit and a flared chocolate houndstooth one. The latter was paired offhandedly with sneakers and an untucked shirt, while in the past, it might have been shown with stilettos. (Perhaps quarantine has sounded the final death knell on those.) Women who can’t justify a suit in a pandemic will be drawn more to the statement-y, Zoom-approved knits, particularly a puffed-sleeve crewneck in pretty lilac pointelle.
9 July 2020
What merits a runway show after years of presentations and appointments? A decade in business is a pretty good place to start. Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard went all-out for their catwalk debut, filling the entrance of their show space with balloons and blaring remixes of feminist anthems like Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.” The festive atmosphere wasn’t a departure for the Veronicas; their presentations usually feel more like after-parties, complete with DJs and cocktails. They didn’t want to do a “runway collection” of capital-Ffashion either. The change was more to solidify Veronica Beard’s place in New York fashion—and to suggest an even brighter decade ahead.The impulse for most designers who graduate to the runway is to overcomplicate and over-style the clothes. There’s pressure to deliver something major when you’re filling a pit with photographers and asking busy editors to spend an hour at your show. Ironically, the Veronicas did just the opposite. In the past, their collections revolved around specific themes, and at times the results felt a little gimmicky; one season it was Dallas in the ’80s, the next it was nautical prep. In contrast, fall 2020 was more or less a study of what VB does best: tailored jackets, dickeys, novelty knits, and printed dresses. There was a touch of a ’70s spirit in the scarf prints and suede-fringed blazers, but on the whole, things were pretty simple and American. Bustiers under jackets were an odd outlier, and there were just a few moments of “extra”: the crystal fringe trimming a pair of jeans and a tuxedo blazer; a Glen Plaid suit glazed in translucent sequins; a paisley gown in shimmering Lurex.Backstage, the Veronicas said their underlying message was “We want it all,” a motto they’ve strung in neon lights in every VB store. As working mothers, their greatest pleasure of the past 10 years has been dressing women of all ages, sizes, and tastes for their “real lives” with straightforward clothes that excite rather than intimidate. Going forward, the question isn’t if Veronica Beard needs to do a runway show every season; it probably doesn’t. The real challenge for the Veronicas, like many of their peers in the advanced contemporary market, will be how to bring the Fashion Week experience to their actual fans and customers. For one, many of those women aren’t following the NYFW action, and it’s up to brands to forge relationships and connections with their community.
The insular, exclusive nature of a fashion show isn’t always conducive to that.
11 February 2020
Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard didn’t cite a particular muse or inspiration for pre-fall. Instead, they were thinking about summer’s simple pleasures: late sunsets, warm breezes, weekends on the beach. The term they chose to sum up the collection wasSundaze,referring to that sense of relaxation and ease you spend most of winter looking forward to.It was a more poetic, ephemeral concept than the references they’ve cited in the past, from ’80s decadence to the ’60s Youthquake to the great outdoors. In the collection, it mostly came through in the softer silhouettes and earthy color palette: terra-cotta, olive, ochre, chestnut, and slate blue, sometimes all swirled together on a patchwork-printed dress. (Those muted shades are already emerging as a big pre-fall trend.)The Veronicas’ experiments with mixed prints also included a new tailoring language: a quilted denim jacket with panels of indigo florals. Overall, their tailoring is getting a bit softer: Out with the snug, gold-buttoned blazers of the past, in with the fluid crepe jackets. An ivory blazer with asymmetrical, diagonal buttons down the front will be popular with women looking for just a touch of novelty. That said, their best “suit” actually wasn’t a suit at all. An ivory crepe blouse and matching wide-leg trousers looked more appealing (and more comfortable) for an 80-degree summer evening.
6 December 2019
“Barbie gone bad” would be a fitting name for Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard’s spring 2020 collection. The real title, “The Dolls,” conjured the early ’60s—the predawn of second-wave feminism, the shattering of glass ceilings, and the embrace of ultra-feminine dressing. After seasons of referencing the ’80s, it was a surprise to see wallpaper prints, soft pastels, and twee suits here.That’s what the Beards are known for, of course: chic suiting for women who may not shop vintage, but likely have a desire to recreate their mothers’ and grandmothers’ best looks. The Veronica Beard woman might look at a photo of a family picnic in the ’60s and decide she needs to emulate the seersucker dresses and darling petal pushers of yore. She might listen to a record by The Ronettes, or watch a movie likeValley of the Dolls, and feel suddenly drawn to big hair, plaid miniskirts, and buttoned-up moiré blazers in bubblegum pink.It’s not the most original backstory, and at times there were moments of pastiche. But the Beards understand their client on a spiritual level and have a firm grasp on how they want to feel: sexy, empowered, and, above all, feminine. They know the ever-so-slightly subversive power that comes with wearing a sequined strapless dress, and they know how good it feels to wear a perfect-fitting pant with a little tennis top. “That’s the key: confidence in being feminine,” Miele Beard said. The Beards should push that sense of confidence even further; in the coming seasons, it would be interesting to hear a more thoughtful message in lieu of simply mining the past.
10 September 2019
As the tailoring trend continues apace, women are no doubt getting savvier about the nuances of fit, quality, and construction in a suit. Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard are at an advantage in that regard: They started their brand in 2010 with a capsule of blazers (and their famous zip-in dickies, which have become less of a focus of late) and have spent nearly a decade tweaking and elevating them. While some of their peers are just now jumping on the “power suit” bandwagon—often with too-trendy silhouettes or imperfect fits—the Veronicas’ jackets feel built to last. Tailoring aficionados will appreciate Resort 2020’s newly elongated, slightly oversize proportions and luxe finishings, while women who are just getting into suiting will feel confident investing in one that’s nicely priced but doesn’t skimp on quality.Swanson Beard said they were looking at vacation photos from the ’70s, when women traded their trim, cropped outfits of the prior decade for a looser, freer look. A sandy linen suit with pleated wide-leg trousers was a departure for VB in its generous, vaguely androgynous slouch, and looked a lot more compelling than their fitted blazers and skinny pants of seasons past. Styled with a camisole, it also spoke to the way many women are wearing a suit right now: on the weekend (or even on vacation) with strappy sandals or sneakers, not to the office. (That said, there were options for those in search of true 9-to-5 options, like a slimmer double-breasted suit in ivory crepe that will be sold in an extended size range.)Elsewhere, the duo’s most fashion-conscious shoppers will recognize notes of the “bourgeois” trend from the Fall 2019 runways, particularly in the leather culottes and pussy-bow blouses. They’re guaranteed to be popular. In general, though, Miele Beard and Swanson Beard are leaning into more of that grown-up, ladylike vibe. Even their signature ruched minidresses became flowy and ankle-length here, with abstracted prints in place of ditsy florals and pastels. They were the kinds of dresses you could wear to the office instead of a full-on suit—with or without the requisite blazer on top.
4 June 2019
Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard tend to design a new dickey every season, and it usually sums up the theme for the whole collection. Zipped into a cropped houndstooth blazer at today’s Fall 2019 presentation was a quilted chambray “vest” dickey, lending the effect of a puffer vest underneath, but without the bulk.It was one of the more surprising, seemingly arbitrary dickeys we’ve seen from the Veronicas; in the past, their most outdoorsy pieces were rugby shirts and army jackets trimmed with bows. Certainly nothing of the functional, waterproof variety. Their vision for Fall was a departure, billed as “opulence meets outdoors.” That mostly played out in unlikely contrasts: a glen plaid blazer cinched with a bungee cord belt; a brown leather boilersuit teamed with ladylike kitten heels; a fuzzy check “shacket,” or shirt-jacket, thrown over a pencil skirt; a camouflage fleece quarter-zip tucked into a flowery skirt.If a few of those mash-ups felt a bit effortful—particularly in a week that’s seen a return to elegant, relaxed, non-maximalist daywear—the Veronicas’ big achievement was in the pieces that will genuinely surprise their customer. Perhaps that’s why a top buying team had raved about the collection, according to Swanson Beard; she said they’d been into the “uptown-meets-upstate” vibe. Designers have been showing techy nylon parkas and cargo pants for a while now, but the trend is still a novelty in high-end stores. Only in 2019 can “luxury meets lumberjack”— as the Veronicas cheekily called it on Instagram—exist in the same store (or even on the same floor) as demi-couture and ultra-luxe accessories.
12 February 2019
You heard it here first: Rugby shirts will be a thing next summer. Over the weekend, we saw deconstructed, oversize rugby shirts on Alexander Wang’s Fall 2019 runway, and there were puff-sleeved rugby polos and minidresses in Veronica Beard’s new Pre-Fall collection. (Koché’s Christelle Kocher has been putting her own eccentric spin on the rugby shirt for a couple of years.) Designers Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard said they were thinking about summer camp and recreation; in addition to the rugby shirts, there were sporty bike shorts, nautical rope-trimmed sweaters, and a stretch crepe suit in a red regatta stripe they lifted from a vintage painted oar.The slick, color-blocked bomber jacket looked like it might actually be up for some orienteering, but the sisters-in-law also took inspiration from the arts and crafts many of us campers preferred. Their signature plaid blazer had colorful, naive-looking wooden beads decorating each wrist like handmade bracelets, and a few looks were cinched with multicolored beaded belts, a common souvenir from Nantucket or the Cape. For those of us who never went to camp, there were a few luxe, very grown-up options: a cropped “denim jacket” and a suit with preppy gold buttons, both rendered in buttery ivory leather.
4 December 2018
The ’80s revival is working wonders for Veronica Beard. Last Fall, sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard showed a glitzy, happily OTT ode to the Texas of that era, complete with giant rhinestone belts, lamé dresses, and shoulder-padded blazers. At the time, it seemed like a one-and-done thing—they’re into themed collections and have referenced the ’70s and ’90s in recent lineups, too—but the ’80s seem to be sticking at VB HQ. The rhinestone belts were a top seller, and their Resort collection (shown earlier this summer) built upon the concept with chain-link belts and classic Versace-inspired graphic prints.Spring 2019 found the Beards mining the ’80s again, but it felt more natural. Third time’s a charm! There were new chunky belts, this time with Lucite buckles—an ’80s twist that helped to tone down the look a bit. The splashy, blown-up florals in shades of red, magenta, and black seemed to nod to period-appropriate Oscar de la Renta or Escada, and a chrome sequined slip dress drew immediate disco-ball comparisons.Of course, there are a few different types of ’80s style; it wasn’t all shoulder pads and doorknocker earrings. The best looks here actually touched on the decade’s softer, sultrier side: See the long-sleeved silk dresses in tropical prints; strapless cotton midis in a brown and blue batik; and a cerulean frock cut like a Hawaiian shirt. In an ’80s movie, they’d be the kinds of pieces a stylish leading lady packs for vacation, but VB’s are polished enough for New York—and maybe Paris, too. Later this month, the Beards are taking their wares to Europe for the first time to meet with stores and buyers who’ve expressed a major interest in their clothes. Here in New York, the designers have a lot of competition, but in Milan and Paris there aren’t so many casual, nicely priced, contemporary labels. It’s something American designers do particularly well, and the Beards are carving out their own specific corner of that market. Let’s just say we won’t be surprised if Paris circa 2018 is their big reference point next season.
11 September 2018
Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard (known lovingly in the New York fashion community as “the Veronicas”) aren’t afraid to lean into a theme. In February, they showed a Fall 2018 collection devoted wholeheartedly to Dallas, where they’d just opened a store. Think: massive rhinestone belts, Western shirts, and studded jeans. To us New Yorkers, it might have felt a little, well,extra—but at their showroom, the Veronicas said the collection was a massive success. The belts in particular were a hit, so they whipped up another statement waist trainer for Resort 2019, this time in black leather with three heavy gold chains.That belt quite literally held together a diverse collection of sharp-shouldered blazers, chain-print dresses (a nod to Gianni Versace), and sporty sweaters. “It’s probably the most ‘woman’ collection we’ve done,” Swanson Beard said. As such, some of the flirtier pieces we’ve come to expect from VB, like ruched party dresses and Lurex blouses, were missing. Instead, we found techy knit separates, a clever reversible trench (khaki on one side, Glen plaid on the other), and hardworking poplin shirts. Their signature blazers have also taken on a stronger, more womanly tone in the #MeToo era as women reclaim the pantsuit—and their power. The canary yellow plaid suit seemed to wink atCluelessheroine Cher Horowitz and her impractical wardrobe, but the all-black leather version was unmistakably badass.
4 June 2018
Veronica Beard fans are everywhere. Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard just opened a store in Dallas’s Highland Park Village and next week they’ll be on the West Coast to unveil another in Los Angeles. There’s a reason VB resonates with women of varying tastes and zip codes: The clothes are stylish, item-driven, and “designed,” but not cold or intimidating. Casual stuff is the Veronicas’ bread and butter—jackets with zip-in dickeys, ruched minidresses, and jeans—always with a relevant tweak, like a menswear fabric or button fly. Fall 2018 looked a lot different by comparison; there was an extravagant, souped-up glamour in the air, with a greater emphasis on after-dark pieces.It made sense when the Beards called it their ode to Dallas, where they enjoy a massive following. It’s safe to say the women there dress a little bit differently than the VB customers on Greene Street; Dallas is less streetwise than New York, and Texas itself has a celebrated history of Western fashion. The Veronicas were excited to put their own spin on that look with weighty, rhinestone-studded belts; piped silk shirtdresses; and cowboy-style ankle boots (with stiletto heels, naturally). Much of it had a Texas-in-the-‘80s vibe, particularly the strong-shouldered blazers, shimmering lamé dresses, and rhinestone “jean jacket” dickeys zipped into faux shearlings.Whether or not women outside of Dallas will be into that look is the big question. The Veronicas aren’t the only designers feeling for the ‘80s and Western vibes this season, but as a brand rooted in feminine, modern staples, it’s a departure. A burgundy corduroy suit and a puff-sleeved blouse tucked into a rust skirt stood out for being a little cleaner and less literal, and read more ‘70s prairie than ‘80s excess.
13 February 2018
At a time when a blazer is topping every girl’s wish list, it’s good to be Veronica Beard. Designers and sisters-in-law Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard have believed in the power of a blazer since they launched in 2010, and a jacket with a zip-in dickey has become their calling card. Their customer picks up the combo for her 9-to-5, or she’ll wear it with jeans (hence the label’s just-launched denim collection), but she favors novelty, too. The Pre-Fall collection had a double-breasted black crepe jacket with contrast stitching, plus a few blazers in tawny retro plaid. The Veronicas styled them with matching trousers, but most Veronica Beard shoppers are typically inclined to break up their suiting. The checked blazer over a mixed-floral gown was long enough to extend past your hips, so a particularly daring customer might not wear pants at all. Elsewhere, the Veronicas built on their other signature: ruched dresses and skirts, which manage to be both sultry and comfy.The collection’s main touchstone, the ’90s, was felt mainly in the prints and colors. Both women have fond memories of that decade, specifically how the ’70s were influencing fashion at the time; asVogue’s Sarah Mower has pointed out, fashion tends tofollow a 20- to 25-year cycle. Miele Beard namecheckedThe Partridge Family, which her own kids have been watching, and Swanson Beard pointed out a hippieish blue sunflower print, which was inspired by her own high school graduation dress. The lace-trim camis and slip skirts will be more familiar toCluelessfans, but the collection was happily missing splashy logos, low-rise jeans, and other less-seemly ’90s fads.
1 December 2017
“We were inspired by Acapulco in the ’70s,” said Veronica Swanson Beard, standing beside codesigner and sister-in-law Veronica Miele Beard. “Lounge-y, sexy, easy, kind of bohemian glamour.” Indeed, Veronica Beard’s Spring 2018 presentation felt like a loose approximation of spring break. There were trays of margaritas in palm-size Patrón bottles and papier-mâché blooms strung from the ceiling. Models were arranged in a circle around them and staggered on platforms, allowing guests to survey the clothes from a safe distance, as most did.Naturally, Slim Aarons’s glossy ’70s photographs informed the collection. There were wide, striped palazzo pants and a new cropped bustier top in tweed and black cotton paired with abstract floral poplin bottoms. A pink and black striped cardigan tucked into a fluttering black and white microfloral skirt was a pretty look, if reminiscent of recent Altuzarra. “We love the idea of a suit you can take apart, like a jacket over a dress or shorts,” Miele Beard said, pointing toward a striped tweed jacket with scrunched sleeves. “We also launched jeans last fall, so we have a lot of new pieces in that category—the gaucho; the long, wide leg.” That long ’70s silhouette seemed like a safe bet; so did the rest of the lineup. Something a little more adventurous might have better captured the lounge-y, bohemian glamour the designers had hoped to achieve.
11 September 2017
You get the feeling Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard don’t get bored designing their ever-expanding collections. That’s because their customers don’t walk into a Veronica Beard store (they just opened another in Soho) looking for basic turtlenecks or blazers—they want their knits to be Lurex-striped and their jackets to come with plenty of zip-on dickey options.Resort had a lot of that built-in novelty: Fatigue jackets came with botanical embroidery, silk trousers had gumball-size pearl buttons, and their signature ruched dresses and skirts (which they swear are flattering on everyone) were leopard-spotted and flecked with gold. The Beards also introduced new, ultra-plush sweaters with impressionistic, almost 3-D floral embroidery.Mixed in with those all-out girly pieces were equestrian jackets, jodhpurs, and glen plaid skirts—the Beards’ thinking being that many of their girls have a tomboy side, too. The piece that summed up that duality best was a camouflage jacket tied with a sweet grosgrain bow; it will pair nicely with the label’s brand-new denim and shoe collections, which launch this July.
1 June 2017
Veronica Beard is evolving. As a source for cool-girl staples steeped in Americana, the brand has always provided fresh separates for the young at heart. Its peplum tops and hooded dickeys already take up space in the closets of women like Gisele Bündchen and Sarah Jessica Parker, but Fall marks the introduction of two new categories: denim and footwear. Moving beyond the standard blue jeans designs, Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard approached the additions with a focus on customization. Offering their customers the opportunity to build a denim wardrobe from the ground up, an array of colors, washes, and detailing options were shown. “There are going to be a lot of bespoke options, different button flies, tuxedo stripes, things you can go back to in the collection and have fun with,” shared Miele Beard.In a crowded marketplace, personalization can help set a label apart from its competition, but according to Swanson Beard, the choice to expand the denim offerings was simply the natural progression. “We wanted to give her the bottom half of the uniform. We always wanted the perfect jeans; it was just a matter of timing and getting the collection in the place where we could do that. Then we needed the perfect boots to go with them!”Denim may have provided a focal point, but the collection featured many noteworthy elements. The looks on models posing on platforms at the Jane Hotel ran the gamut, from bohemian printed maxi dresses layered beneath oversize sweaters to classic tie-neck blouses and skinny jeans paired with a new range of booties. Corduroy continued its comeback, appearing on blazers and jackets, while outerwear got creative with unexpected combinations like a motorcycle-jacket-meets-peacoat and a brocade-covered parka. Though the floral dresses were standouts, the real surprise came via a series of versatile turtlenecks. Layered over and under different pieces, they grounded the collection in knitwear and provided it with a fail-safe element. Only a select few will be able to pull off the metallic overcoat, but everyone can appreciate a great basic.
14 February 2017
In the corporate world, the wordemotionalis something of a taboo. In fashion, we use it all the time; what’s a runway show, zany trend, or new purchase without some sort of emotional response? Veronica Beard designers Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard don’t reinvent their look every season, but they do know what sparks their customers’ interest. The VB girl isn’t willing to buy something unless she has an instant, gotta-have-it feeling about it, and that’s especially crucial for Pre-Fall, an important but ill-defined season. “The collection hits stores in June, so the clothes have to be transitional but also really emotional,” Swanson Beard explained. “And they need to last you through September.” And beyond presumably.Once June rolls around and summer officially begins, most women embrace a slightly more casual, bohemian attitude. Never does a fringed jacket or hippie dress look better than on the first 80-degree day of the year! Both of those items were highlights in the Veronicas’ new collection, which was inspired by summer in the country, “baked” colors, and, as always, a touch of nautical prep. Veronica Beard will always be known for its blazers and zip-in dickies, but ruched dresses and miniskirts have become new signatures. Here, they came in ditzy florals or navy pinstripes with lace-up details. Thanks to a power-mesh lining, they’re as comfortable as they are flattering, the designers insisted: Wear the ruched paisley midi dress with sandals or a cardigan around your shoulders, and it would be a fresher day-to-night look than jeans or the culotte suits elsewhere in the lineup.
1 December 2016
This season, it’s been somewhat rare to attend a “classic”Fashion Weekpresentation. Gone are the days when arranging models in a well-lit room was enough to generate buzz around your collection. Now designers are adding musical performances, virtual reality, and over-the-top sets to the mix for ultimate Instagram potential.Veronica BeardcofoundersVeronica Swanson BeardandVeronica Miele Beardjust opened their first store on Madison Avenue, and they tapped Ken Fulk to transform the basement into a plush, bohemian apartment complete with leopard print–fur wall coverings, Pop artwork, and more curiosities than you could count. Models flitted around in newSpring ’17looks, while other pieces were hung on the walls or tucked into a “dressing room” with TVs playing clips of muses like Ali MacGraw. The Veronicas’ goal—besides hosting a fun, memorable event—was to create excitement about the current and Spring collections and inspire women to fall back in love with brick-and-mortar shopping.As for the clothes, the theme was classic Americana. Women have started wearing red, white, and blue all year round, but it was particularly fitting for an election year. Blue gingham blazers, ruched shirtdresses, and nautical sweaters felt just a touch preppy, but a strapless white jumpsuit with red shirting stripes was easily the most compelling item. That said, a few of the power suits with ultra-skinny pants felt a bit dated; the designers could have used more of the easy, office-appropriate cropped flares from the opening look.
12 September 2016
Resort’s buzzwords used to bebuy now, wear now, but these days, it feels more likeanything goes. Some designers show fur coats; some show bikinis and sundresses; some fall back on safe, commercial pieces; and some try all of the above. The Veronica Beard lineup was cozier than other collections we’ve seen this week, planting it firmly in holiday party territory. A burgundy velvet suit and a leopard-print goat jacket both stood out, and the label’s classic jackets were cocktail-ready in silk shantung. Plenty of women will be on the lookout for relaxed, statement-y items like those when the collection hits stores in October.Going out was the underlying theme for the whole line, with sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard name-checking “’80s party girls” who wore Ungaro and danced on tables. But it was the subtler, thoughtful details that made a lasting impression; ruching is quietly becoming a VB signature, seen on a hip-hugging polka-dot skirt and a glint-y champagne-color dress. The collection was missing some of the daytime pieces Veronica Beard is known for—flared jeans, cozy knits, trompe l’oeil blouses—which would have mixed nicely with all of those fancy finishes.
3 June 2016
Layering has always been central to theVeronica Beardaesthetic, from the brand’s signature jackets and zip-in dickeys to combo sweaters that mimic silk blouses underneath. For Fall, designers and sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard noticed how girls have been wearing sweaters and T-shirts under slip dresses, camisoles, and tunics, so they styled a ruched, Liberty-esque floral dress over a snug turtleneck.“It’s such a sexy way to wear silk,” Swanson Beard said. “You’re covered up, but then it’s really feminine and light, too.” Given the bone-chilling temperatures we’ve experienced this week—editors aren’t even bothering to take off their coats at shows anymore—the bright, cheerful pattern and easy silhouette offered a much-needed dose of warmth. That dress will be a summer staple, too, worn alone with flat sandals. That’s another trend the Veronicas have picked up on; their customers no longer care about seasonal pieces. They want buy now, wear now items they can keep wearing six months down the road as well.Elsewhere, a new emphasis on knitwear brought chunky cable-knits and soft ribbed turtlenecks. “We tried to include a knit in every look,” Swanson Beard said. A boxy turtleneck was layered over a flippy miniskirt, for instance, or under a double-breasted blazer in the same color. Outerwear has always been a strong suit for the label, and while a knee-length olive peacoat looked sharp, it would have been nice to see the designers experiment with more statement-making options.
16 February 2016
Veronica Beardhas evolved into a resource for wearable, throw-on-and-go clothes, but that doesn’t mean you’ll find only “elevated basics” here. Sisters-in-lawVeronica Miele BeardandVeronica Swanson Beardsee to it that even their simplest pieces have a special flourish, like a variegated lace pattern on a smoke-colored dress or a chambray blouse that’s shorter in front so you don’t have to tuck it into your high-rise pants. “Everything has extra work,” Miele Beard said. “It’s not just a pair of jeans, it’s jeans with amazing seam details. It’s pin-tucking and embroidery—things that are done for you.” Mini styling hacks like those are what keep their customers coming back—don’t forget it was a blazer and zip-in dickey that put Veronica Beard on the map five years ago.Artisanal details like embroidery, open stitches, and bohemian prints explained the designers’ mood board, which was covered in soft-focus images of California. The Veronicas imagined their girl on a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway, so they designed the serape jackets, ponchos, and slim-fit cargo pants she might throw into the trunk. But overall, it was the expansion of knitwear—from those Baja-style ponchos to “combo tops” that mimicked a fine-knit sweater over a silk blouse—that felt the most promising here. The Veronicas’ Fall collection will have an even bigger focus on knits; they said their customer is asking for a complete wardrobe now, not just their line’s signature jackets. To wit, for Pre-Fall you’ll find only one dickey in the entire lookbook.
1 December 2015
New York Fashion Weekis drawing to a close, and while we’ve still got the rest of the month to see collections in London, Milan, and Paris, New York City is where the trends take shape for contemporary labels. One major theme for the mid-range set was a simpler, more relaxed approach to getting dressed.Veronica Swanson BeardandVeronica Miele Beardare best known for layering, particularly with their sharply tailored jackets and removable dickeys, which create the illusion of wearing a cable-knit turtleneck or Perfecto jacket underneath.But Spring presented a new focus that goes way beyond blazers. Miami was the Beards’ starting point, and models with wet, slicked-back hair stood in front of giant palm fronds wearing crisp white separates, soft suits, and breezy dresses. “It’s supposed to feel like they just jumped out of the pool and threw these clothes on,” Swanson Beard explained. That translated to a looser, less rigid approach to tailoring: Even the sharpest pin-striped jacket was done in a soft piqué, and clingy silk dresses were unstructured, save for a drawstring waist or a row of ruched buttons on the side.Of course, real-life wearability is a big factor when you’re stocked in department stores, and while a few looks felt a bit formulaic, like a red off-the-shoulder dress, others appeared more womanly than what some of the designers’ peers are doing. And for girls looking to upgrade their dickey collection, there was a brand-new style to try here: “lapel dickeys,” which were slimmer and added just a little extra dimension.
16 September 2015
For Resort, Veronica Beard designers Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard found a clever way to tackle the season's transitional, buy-now-wear-now demands: They referenced both après-ski and aprè-sun. "It's like the perfect vacation," Swanson Beard said, pointing to photos of Aspen in the '70s next to retro snaps of girls in bikinis. "You spend a week in the mountains, and then a week at the beach." That meant there was a Fair Isle sweater on the same rack as an eyelet blouse. The brand's layering sensibilities make it justifiable to invest in such disparate items, but while the Beards have never been afraid to pile it on, they did pare things back a little here. An expanded denim collection (including some great patch-pocket flares) suggested that they've keyed into women's preference for easy, casual pieces. The sisters-in-law were thinking along "classics with a twist" lines: a ribbon-print charmeuse blouse, sailor pants, a nautical sweater. They're still feeling the '60s and '70s, which showed up in a suede jacket, as well as on a pair of white ponte flares that felt just a touch Louis Vuitton-inspired. And, of course, there were lots of their signature blazers and dickies, which the Beards have been tweaking and elevating since they started the brand five years ago. In July, they'll relaunch their website and add a Jacket Shop, where customers can select jackets and dickies separately.
29 May 2015
With an endless flurry of winter storms disrupting New York fashion week this season, everyone has escape on the brain. ("Where are you getting away after the craziness ends?" has one-upped "Can you believe this weather?" in the way of preshow small talk.) Sisters-in-law Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard were dreaming of a cabin getaway when they designed their Fall collection, specifically in the great camps of the Adirondacks. "It's all about this refined, rustic elegance," Swanson Beard explained. "We wanted to reimagine our urban tailoring for an outdoorsy wardrobe, but one that you can still wear in the city." The designers are best known for their sharp jackets with removable dickeys, which are ideal for girls who love to layer but don't love the bulk. They whipped up new styles that combined menswear plaids, mohair, denim, leather, and fox—sometimes all at once. The simplest pieces were some of the best, like the wool parkas with contrast piping and giant fur collars. A clean camel coat with a black leather Perfecto dickey was also a standout; it looked effortlessly cool over a cream crepe jumpsuit.Other looks intentionally had a lot going on, like the blue mohair jacket layered over a jacquard sweater layered over a dot-print skirt. Ditto the camouflage jacket and fur stole paired with pinstripe pants and a trompe l'oeil sweater and blouse. Girls on the more-is-more bandwagon won't be afraid to wear the full looks, but many women are conscious not to over-style these days. For the bohemian Veronica Beard shopper, an embroidered silk blouse tucked into a lace midi skirt felt soft and romantic next to all that tailoring. The collection could have used a few more easy pieces like that. Overall, the Beards' instinct for luxe textures was right for the season—shoppers are responding to the idea of elevated comfort, and we've seen lots of fur, mohair, and other cozy materials this week.
17 February 2015
With its Pre-Fall offering, Veronica Beard turned out an elevated take on camping and lake life, keeping steadily to the label's polished yet playful course. But Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard are in a growth mode; since repositioning the brand for the advanced contemporary market last year, they've upped their stockists and launched three styles of denim for Resort. The designers are jockeying for the dollars of an aspirational customer at their new, lower price point, so youthful pieces like a cropped jacket with VB's signature removable dickey in buttery cognac leather felt savvy. Nods to the duo's stated theme were happily soft and nonliteral. A luxe approach to the quintessential boho top boasted delicate embroidery inspired by the designs found on canoe oars; the embroidered chambray flora stitched atop a tulle pencil skirt was another nice touch. The Veronicas also turned an eye to the shopability of knits, which yielded items such as a traditional military pullover with a silk back. The results here felt like a purposeful and well-edited next step in Veronica Beard's expansion.
4 December 2014
It's been a banner year for sister-in-law designers Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard, who enjoyed a spike in both stockists and sales after recently repositioning their brand at an advanced contemporary price point. Riding that wave of success, the Beard duo called their Spring collection Rose Tint. "It's about looking on the bright side, and the optimism we're feeling about the business and its future," Swanson Beard said backstage before the presentation at the newly opened Park Hyatt overlooking Central Park. Aside from showing sorbet-hued silk tops and a group of neon pink organza lace looks (including pretty shifts, crop tops, and pencil skirts), they didn't get too concept-y with the theme. Instead, the Veronicas focused on updating retail-friendly signatures such as their trademark schoolboy jacket. This time around, it came in compact white cotton and featured a Courrèges-inspired foiled dickey. Layered over a delicate eyelash-lace tea dress, it made for a standout look that struck a cool, masculine-feminine balance.Elsewhere, the designers channeled a modern '60s sensibility with railroad-stripe miniskirts, pleated yellow jacquard culottes, and a playful palm print that suggested "Indochine meets the Beverly Hills Hotel," as they described it. Ultimately, the Beards didn't present too many groundbreaking ideas here, but they successfully continued to refine their formula for well-made wardrobe staples that work for multitasking women like themselves.
9 September 2014
It came as no surprise when Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard recently turned up at the office for a full day of press previews in identical outfits of swingy Veronica Beard canvas jackets and dark-rinse jeans. In fact, the Veronicas joked that they unintentionally match multiple times a week. Over the past five years, the sisters-in-law have refined their brand vision, which assumes a uniform-like approach to getting dressed. They've also exponentially increased sales in 2014 after lowering the price point of their modular wardrobe essentials. "Our message is elevated tailoring with a designer sensibility. We've really focused on that, and are definitely hitting our stride now in the contemporary market," said Miele Beard during a walk-through of their Resort lineup.The label initially launched with a range of schoolboy jackets featuring interchangeable dickeys. This season, they made a concerted push to incorporate those signature dickeys into new outerwear bodies including an edgy, motorcycle-inspired blazer; a terrific everyday trench; and a leather Perfecto with a zip-off peplum. The duo combined those updated staples with vibrant novelty items, which tied into the collection's inspiration: the Round Hill Hotel in Jamaica's Montego Bay that drew prominent socialites such as Babe Paley to the island in the mid-20th century. Sticking to the theme, they experimented with patterns in bold ways. A cropped neoprene sweatshirt with a splashy palm tree motif mixed nicely with an A-line block-print skirt. The latter graphic was also surprisingly flattering worn head-to-toe, as seen on a coordinating vest and sharp trousers.But the real news here was the announcement of Veronica Beard's first denim capsule, which will premiere with three classic styles: high-waisted flares boasting a girdle-like yoke, second-skin indigo stovepipes, and a casual cropped pair ideal for both boardroom meetings and weekend errands. No novelty distressing here, just classic, dark washes. With eight children between the two of them, ensuring a slimming fit was a top priority for the Beards, whose clientele consists of modern mothers like themselves. Priced to sell between $225 and $295, the jeans are no-brainers for retailers and VB fans alike.
26 May 2014
There was nary a dickey in sight at Veronica Beard's Fall presentation. Originally the cornerstone piece of the business, the signature blazers featuring zip-in collars have become just a small sliver of the full-fledged ready-to-wear range. This season, designers Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard were thinking about the kind of hip girls who party on the drag between the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Troubadour in West Hollywood. "It's about marrying bohemian with rock 'n' roll," said Miele Beard. The outfit that best exemplified this glam lifestyle was a slim tuxedo suit cut from metallic gold foiled denim. Elsewhere, the sister-in-law duo riffed on quintessential Saint Laurent motifs with lace-up safari tops, languid charmeuse wrap gowns, and batik-printed maxi dresses. While the flashy fare had definite nightclub appeal, it didn't feel as relevant as some of the lineup's more practical, everyday pieces. Highlights included a neoprene-bonded leather biker jacket paired with on-trend gauchos, as well as fringed tapestry sweatshirts and a camouflage jacquard parka coat with a detachable raccoon collar. No terribly groundbreaking ideas here, but overall these were real clothes you could picture real girls wearing right now.
5 February 2014
This was a year of significant growth for Veronica Beard. At a preview of the label's first-ever Pre-Fall collection, designers Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard (recent CFDA/VogueFashion Fund finalists) announced they picked up three major retailers—Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Nordstrom—for Spring, and are shrewdly repositioning themselves at an advanced contemporary price point. While VB typically channels an East Coast sensibility, this season's starting point was the American West, which came across in pieces like a wispy frock featuring a swirling hand-painted "Malachite" print and delicate lace insets, as well as crocheted dresses and zip-in dickeys (for their signature blazers) that gave the lineup a slightly bohemian vibe. Per usual, there was an emphasis on building blocks for a modern woman's day-to-day wardrobe. Functional outerwear standouts included a wool funnel-neck bomber jacket and a cool peplum biker jacket that combined milled leather and a stretchy scuba material. Elsewhere, the sister-in-law duo continued to hone their tailoring with sharp suiting separates—their cut and quality demonstrated just how far the VB ladies have come.
1 December 2013
Since joining the official fashion week calendar a year ago, things have really taken off for Veronica Beard. Designers Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard were named CFDA/VogueFashion Fund finalists earlier this summer, and Andrew Rosen has invested in the brand. There was a palpable buzz at the label's Spring presentation, which crescendoed when Maria Sharapova turned up in a striped VB Resort number to show her support.Celeb sightings aside, it was the new collection itself, which seemed like a conscientious push in a more youthful direction (perhaps in an effort to compete with hip Fashion Fund finalists like Public School), that generated most of the room's energy. Inspired by the flash and decadence of the eighties, the sisters-in-law went all out, with fluorescent colors and wild patterns including three-dimensional leopard spots and a splashy graffiti floral (street artist Ryan Humphrey painted the pedestals upon which the models were perched). They stamped these prints on neoprene separates like a sporty sweatshirt, a biker vest, and a kicky flared skirt—all accented with neon piping. Other memorable moments included a distressed denim-effect leather set and jumpsuit, as well as a strapless knotted minidress that would look terrific on Sharapova. The Beards also mixed in some of their more straightforward tailored suits and versatile zip-in dickeys. Overall, the vibrant lineup signified a brave departure for the brand that successfully demonstrated the designers' range. "This season, we really tried to focus more on how we personally dress," said Swanson Beard. "As we've grown, we now have the courage to say more about who we want to be."
3 September 2013
Entitled Power Play, the new Veronica Beard Resort collection was inspired by the seventies women's movement, when "wives came out of the kitchen and joined the workforce." Citing forward-thinkers from that time like Diane von Furstenberg, "a mom building this empire who also went out at night," the Veronicas (the designers are sisters-in-law who also share a last name) showed a lineup targeted at modern multitaskers much like themselves who juggle families, careers, and social lives.They included a fresh take on the suit, featuring a bold-shouldered vest and tailored trousers—both in flattering, engineer-striped techno wool—as well as an updated "wrap dress" that zips up instead of tying (preventing any kind of on-the-run wardrobe malfunction). Other highlights included a neoprene-bonded leather biker jacket, which was styled with one of the label's signature detachable dickeys, and a utilitarian twill jumpsuit. For evening, they channeled the glam seventies with an all-in-one tuxedo and a breezy black and white gown reminiscent of Ossie Clark.
9 June 2013
Veronica Beard headed west for Fall. The sister-in-law duo behind the line (Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard) called the cowgirl's uniform—flannel button-ups, rough denim, shearling coats, and leather chaps—"the first true American sportswear" and mixed frontier elements with the label's preppy yet urban separates. While some outfits, like a bandanna-print gypsy gown layered with a voluminous raccoon fur vest, came across a bit too "Prairie Home Companion," the buffalo plaid field coats, cozy knits, and long-and-lean flared trousers were well suited for blazing trails on city sidewalks. Speaking of pioneering, the Veronicas have significantly expanded beyond their signature dickey jacket over the course of the last few seasons. Here, they included several true evening looks, including a backless gold panne velvet column gown, that successfully explored new territory.
5 February 2013
Veronica Beard has come a long way since it launched two years ago with a capsule collection of tailored blazers featuring interchangeable, zip-out "dickies." Since then, the Beard sisters-in-law (both are named Veronica) have developed a full lifestyle range for urban working women like themselves, and today they staged their first presentation at the Gramercy Hotel.The concise Spring lineup was reportedly inspired by a recent trip to Morocco, and that influence came across in the terra-cotta-colored silk jumpsuits and chambray safari jackets, which had a sun-bleached softness to them. The Veronicas paid tribute to their original best seller with the collection's standout look: a fuchsia linen tuxedo that came with a signature dickie. That sharp suit and a flattering hourglass dress with embellished grosgrain straps were the kinds of pieces that busy moms on the go will turn to for the occasional date night out on the town.
5 September 2012