Brock Collection (Q3962)
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Brock Collection is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Brock Collection |
Brock Collection is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
A year into the pandemic, designers have had little choice but to embrace the challenges of working remotely. At home in Newport Beach, California, Brock Collection’s Laura Vassar has been fitting garments in her living room while her team Zooms in from New York, Italy, and beyond. Despite the inevitable tech glitches, she’s felt newly inspired by seeing the clothes in a space where they could actually be worn. In a white-walled studio, it’s difficult to imagine how a saffron velvet coat might fit into your life, or how it would look and feel sinking into a couch. At home, it’s as easy as shrugging it on and taking a few steps.Naturally, that process informed a new emphasis on comfort, both in fabric and silhouette. That coat was cut a little bit more generously, almost like a robe, so you can recline easily (whether you’re at home or at a chilly outdoor dinner). Vassar pointed out a similar coat in charcoal gray with knife pleats cut through the body for extra movement. It had the appeal of an everyday, throw-on-and-go coat, but would still feel exciting to wear season after season.Vassar and Kristopher Brock were also excited about a new patchwork they developed from scratch, merging velvet roses, tapestry prints, and exaggerated borders. The intention was for it to look and feel lived-in or antiqued, a softer, comfier version of the duo’s signature brocades and flowery silks. The cropped jacket was a no-brainer, but the fabric looked even more interesting on a pair of loose trousers, styled here with a simple knit and peacoat.
1 March 2021
“We aren’t trying to please everyone anymore,” Kristopher Brock reported on a Zoom from California. For all the challenges designers have faced this year, a silver lining was the extra time and space to refocus on what they do best—and what their customer really wants.The energy Brock and Laura Vassar might’ve expended on a runway show in the past—and on looks that felt “worthy” of that stage—is now reserved for communicating with their clients and retail partners about what works. If that sounds unromantic on paper, know that the Brock woman is still here for major romance; the bustier dresses, antique florals, and puffed-up sleeves aren’t disappearing. There was just a new sense of casualness about them for pre-fall, plus a touch of the American prairie, an era when women relied on feminine yet hardworking clothes. The floral dresses here were long and lean, and Vassar noted that they’ve expanded their ultra-special knits, from a crystal-embroidered cardigan to an intricately knitted maxiskirt with a matching crop top. She also pointed out how a brocade gown was spliced with cotton voile sleeves, a subtle texture play that made it feel just a little less fancy.The emphasis on comfort and softness wasn’t explicitly “because of the pandemic.” As Vassar put it, their design process didn’t involve asking themselves what women might want to wear in six months, but rather “what they won’t be able to live without.” For some, thatmightbe a gown, but for many of us, our have-to-have pieces are the ones we can wear all the time, not just on special occasions. A brocade floral coat might qualify for the woman who relies on jeans and statement outerwear; another might get butterflies for the raw-edged cotton midi-dress—ideal for 90-degree days, but more interesting than your average sundress—while a hand-painted leather jacket is an heirloom in the making.Brock and Vassar tapped their friend Camille Rowe to model the clothes in the look book, bare-faced and often with her hair knotted under a bandana. The effect was more personal, like she’d actually styled herself. Runway shows may resume next year, but the Brocks (and their peers) should hold onto that sentiment.
15 December 2020
Designers are always tasked with predicting the future, divining what women might like to wear a full six months in advance. That’s increasingly difficult in times like these, when the headlines change daily and COVID-19 continues to govern most of our choices. A few months ago, we surely thought life would feel “normal” by September; how can a designer possibly guess what the world will look like—or how we’ll be dressing for it—in 2021?Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar took a pragmatic approach this season. They’re betting we’ll still be spending a lot of time at home, though not necessarily in sweats and pajamas. By then, we’ll be more than ready to “get dressed” again; we’ll just expect our clothes to work both at home and away, for Zoom calls and alfresco dinners alike. The Brock designers found their sweet spot by leaning into their signature romance and whimsy, then easing up the silhouettes: Puffed-sleeve dresses had light boning, cozy sweaters were layered over flowing cotton skirts, and slips had Empire waists trimmed with lace.The glossy jacquards of runway collections past were replaced with plain linen, cotton, and denim, and rigid bustiers gave way to more forgiving peplums. The results are clothes that more or less resist time, trends, and occasions, the kind you’d be excited to buy even if you aren’t sure what the future holds or when you’ll be able to wear them next.
9 September 2020
Kris Brock and Laura Vassar are in the business of beautiful dresses, plain and simple. There’s rarely a winding, complicated narrative behind their collections, nor an esoteric theme or reference; they tend to start with antique fabrics and build the silhouettes from there. Backstage, Brock said the chocolate florals and sandy burnout velvets had been loosely influenced by dark, moodier oil paintings they’d researched. On sumptuous, covered-up gowns, the results were quintessentially Brock: soft, romantic, and a little Victorian.All to say, they weren’t necessarily surprising. But for every pretty dress, there were two or three suits and spare, streamlined coats. Vassar said they’d been ruminating on how to put their own spin on tailoring, and came up with off-the-shoulder blazers over full circle skirts and flat leather riding boots. (If you’re looking forLittle Womenvibes, you’ll find them here.) Another idea involved a tailored coat buttoned over a knit shell, so it read more like a dress, and the duo agreed on their all-out favorite look: a generously cut black tuxedo.The fact that their black tux closed the show seemed to hint at a cleaner, more pared-back Brock Collection to come. Vassar’s own ivory sweater and matching skirt reinforced the idea: no frills, no fuss. The shift would align with American women’s desire for a tidier life and closet, but the designers tend not to riff on cultural trends or current events. The advantage of making showstopping gowns is that we often take them at face value; why overanalyze a gorgeous dress? But if they are, in fact, edging towards minimalism, they’ll need to tell a story beyond what we see on the runway. Fashion in 2020 has to say something, whether it’s about women, femininity, politics, culture, community, sustainability…. Otherwise, it starts to feel like something’s missing.
10 February 2020
There were flashes of the old Brock Collection on the Spring 2020 runway today, a reminder that this brand isn’t quite a baby anymore: In fact, it turned five this year. Since their 2014 launch, Laura Vassar and Kristopher Brock have evolved their vision, picked up a CFDA/VogueFashion Fund prize, and scaled their distribution, trying lots of different ideas along the way. Meanwhile, they’ve become one of New York Fashion Week’s can’t-miss shows, and this season they scored a new time slot on the coveted final day.Vassar explained that Spring was a study of the duo’s strengths and signatures, which are happily vast: They make a great evening gown but also great jeans. It was nice to see denim back on the runway after so many seasons without it; here, straight-leg jeans were styled with intricately embroidered tops and voluminous silk jackets, a mix that captured the “raw and romantic, but not too precious” balance the designers established years ago. That high-low, livable mix had been somewhat lost in recent seasons—fall’s tweed skirtsuits and pussy-bow dresses look prim in comparison—and in general, this collection was a return to those roots. There were moments of major drama—i.e., the billowing jacquard gown over rumpled trousers that opened the show—interspersed with truly casual stuff, like the white poplin dress that followed. Not every woman needs an evening gown, after all, but most of us do need great jeans, unfussy day clothes, and maybe a tiered, floor-length shirtdress that works for any occasion. (On the setting in the Pierre Hotel ballroom, Vassar added that she was going for a bit of aGreat Expectationsvibe, marrying over-the-top grandeur with something less refined.)The most compelling developments were the subtle shifts in proportions. Brock and Vassar set the trend for the little puffed-sleeve corsets and bustier dresses that have trickled down to every layer of the market, but Spring’s fuller, couture-ish shapes will be harder to copy. A strapless rose gown with a grosgrain ribbon cinched above the bust was essentially a sack dress, while a plum cocktail frock with pearl-encrusted straps came in a rounded, tulip-like shape. Both felt freeing in their less-restrictive, away-from-the-body contours. Other designers have been easing up their silhouettes this week, too, as if to give us just a little extra breathing room in the early days of an anxious new decade.
11 September 2019
It began with Mark Seliger. Six months ago, designers Laura and Kristopher Brock first met with the American photographer, best known for his intimate black and white celebrity portraiture, to discuss a collaboration. “Knowing we were working with such an iconic photographer, we honed in on the woman, the portrait of the Brock woman,” Laura said. “Less than the clothes, it’s the woman in the clothes and simplifying her wardrobe.”Thus the couple approached Resort with the intent to strip their latest collection down to bare essentials. That said, the Brock woman’s idea of basics is highly particular. For evening, there was a beautiful floor-length black gown with a corseted bodice and tulle ruffles along its square neckline, further embellished by scrunched up straps that were, Kristopher explained, a grosgrain ribbon tunneled through organza. For day, she might turn to a babydoll top, cut from an ornate floral jacquard and puffed out around the waist by a stiff horsehair peplum. (Horsehair peplum belts also featured as accessories, layered over skirts).Simpler additions included a new denim style that fit looser and straighter through the leg, as well as more fundamental items like a very roomy cream knit, a three-piece silk pajama set (the third piece being a balconette bra, naturally), a felted wool dressing coat, and a slew of white slips and other pieces meant for a bride. On the whole, the collection displayed a wider range of livable pieces than usual, as if to prove the label can supply more than sumptuous gowns. The Brocks want to dress their woman, wherever she goes.
15 June 2019
Starr Hout and Laura Cramer like to say they make clothes that allow women to live their wildest dreams. In other words, they’re “real life” pieces that make looking good easy, so you can focus on bigger things. That doesn’t mean the clothes are overly simple or boring; Hout and Cramer have an eye for color—for Fall 2018, it’s lavender and rust—and special tweaks, like a slightly Victorian sleeve. Even their boldest pieces are done with restraint, and Hout and Cramer have a keen eye for fit. On paper, a corduroy jumpsuit sounds like a disaster, but theirs was light (not bulky!), super soft, and spliced with waist-whittling elastic. The patch-pocket corduroy pants were surprisingly flattering, too; in fact, pants and jumpsuits in general are a big business for Apiece Apart. They can’t keep their pin-tucked denim overalls in stock, so they reintroduced them here in a bright ’70s wash. Similarly, their Merida pant—a high-waist, wide-leg crop—is so coveted, it reappears in every collection. The new iteration for Fall 2018 came in buttery “paperweight” leather.On that luxe note, Hout and Cramer also introduced a leather trench with a rounded collar, blouson sleeves, and a self-tie belt; superfans, start saving now. The shearling coats looked good, too, particularly the one in dusty lavender, but women who don’t wear real leather or skins should bookmark the glossy faux-fur bomber jacket. Hout said the younger women on her team had begged for it; it’s one of the more streetwise pieces you’ll find at Apiece Apart, but felt right at home over their Lurex madras jumpsuit.
8 February 2019
When you think of Brock Collection, you invariably think of a dress—one that’s vintage-y, maybe a little sexy, and definitely floral. Kristopher and Laura Brock have a way with bustier dresses and peplum cocktail frocks, and they tick the right boxes: They’re editorially interesting, but have real-world appeal to a variety or women, too. It’s easy to spot the Brocks’ influence in department stores and high-street chains (consider the prevalence of antique florals, puff sleeves, and underwire details), and women as disparate as Emily Ratajkowski and Elle Fanning rely on their dresses for red carpet events.With that in mind, the Brocks could probably manage an entire business of dresses alone. (And, indeed, women have been asking the Brocks for wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses.) But they’re up for a bigger challenge—so for Pre-Fall, their focus shifted to tailoring. They introduced an elegant, longline bouclé coat in ivory or bright lavender with full, gently rounded sleeves and a moveable button at the center, so you can cinch it tight or wear it a bit looser. It filled the just-right gray area between a cozy, casual robe coat and a fancy evening piece. There were several hip-length, unlined tweed jackets, too, which felt new not just for the Brocks, but for the market in general; in a sea of oversize blazers, a soft, collarless jacket looks fresh.That focus on tailoring inevitably begged the question of a pantsuit. The Brocks’ version came in brick-red gingham with a shirt jacket in lieu of a more formal peak-lapel blazer. Diehard fans will layer the jacket over a floral jacquard dress, but the full look—seen here with matching checked trousers—will speak to a whole new kind of Brock woman.
7 December 2018
There were more than a dozen evening gowns on Brock Collection’s fall runway, voluminous ones puffed up with taffeta, horsehair, and tiers of ruffles. But there were glimpses of minimalism too: sleek tailoring, knit sets, flat boots. If Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar were balancing two impulses—for sumptuous red carpet dresses and simpler, unadorned stuff—the pandemic has now nudged them toward the latter. Their resort lineup consists mostly of daywear, including some items you could actually wear to quarantine at home, like champagne satin trousers—styled here with an oversized button-down—and a blush camisole and slip skirt. They feel like loungewear without veering too far into the “pajama dressing” cliché. Even more novel were a gingham knit cardigan and matching leggings. Vassar said they’re offering them in a range of colors, meaning the combo is expected to be popular. It might come at a lower price point too, and will resonate with young women gravitating toward the trend for matching sets.As for the handful of fancier items, Brock pointed out the fraying hems and exposed handwork on flowery dresses and bustiers, recalling the raw, unfussy sensibility of their past collections. Pre-pandemic, he said they’d sourced some heavier jacquards for resort, likely with holiday parties in mind, but promptly swapped them out for natural, tactile materials like linen, cotton, and suede. Their signature floor-length coatdress, for instance, came in antique florals in the past but was shown here in plain black cotton.The desert setting of their look book—the first they’ve ever shot in their home state of California—mirrored the softer, understated mood they’re anticipating in November. It’s impossible to truly know what the world will look like by then, but the sensitive customer will most likely avoid clothing that feels out of touch or unsympathetic to the crisis. If she’s shopping at all, or has a holiday get-together on her calendar, she might find a bit of uplift in a plaid dress and suede jacket, or maybe a puffed-sleeve midi and linen slippers—items that don’t sacrifice beauty for a sense of discretion. That said, there’s still room for a little fantasy; the woman shopping optimistically for the future may go for that strapless taffeta dress bursting with wildflowers. If we can’t physically travel this year, a bit of wanderlust in our wardrobe could go a long way.
22 July 2020
Darkisn’t a word you would typically use to describe Brock Collection, a label known for pretty puffed-sleeve dresses and antique-y florals. But pre-fall had a moodier feeling to it, a noticeable shift away from the brand’s ladylike and ultra-polished roots. It echoed the sultrier kind of femininity we saw on the fall 2019 runways, and Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar are likely thinking along similar lines for their ready-to-wear show in February.The vast assortment in the showroom told a slightly different story than this look book, with racks of angelic cotton day dresses and a few options for the Brock bride, too. But the duo’s experiments with tailoring and head-to-toe black stood out, with a focus on fuller, more covered-up silhouettes. They’re proposing sharp blazers with ankle-length tulle skirts for next summer, and they highlighted a new, goth-y Victorian lacing detail on the back of an onyx dress. Another standout gown came with a dramatic empire waist and horsehair built into the hip, creating a tulip-like, couture-ish volume. It would be a compelling option for a black-tie wedding next summer, but was likely designed with the January and February award shows in mind, too.The Brock woman who isn’t ready to give up the frills and florals will gravitate toward Vassar’s favorite dress: a lilac jacquard number with a creamy ribbed knit layered underneath. It was the epitome of a “pre-fall dress,” one you’d wear by itself in July, and with a knit or blazer in September. Though it isn’t evident here, the duo expanded their knitwear offering in a big way: Next year’s top-sellers will no doubt be the cozy wool pullovers with embroidered bouquets blooming on the chest.
17 December 2019
It isn’t unusual for designers to confirm their show venues just a few weeks (or even days) in advance, but Kristopher and Laura Brock nailed down their Spring 2019 location six months ago—before they’d even designed the collection. Daniel Rose’s popular French eatery, Le Coucou, is one of their favorites in New York, so they traded their usual white-walled runway space for his elegant, cozy restaurant. Guests watched from small tables (not overcrowded benches!) and sipped coffee while models breezed by in the duo’s signature bustiers, raw-edged jacquard gowns, and new, more fanciful dresses trimmed in feathers and beaded fringe.“We actually designed the collection with the restaurant in mind, imagining how our woman might live in the clothes here,” Laura explained. Usually, designers make the clothes first and find a venue that feels right later on. But by working backward, the Brocks were able to create a real mood and a moment—sort of like a film scene rather than your average blink-and-you-miss-it show. Set against the rich interiors and soft-lit chandeliers, the clothes looked richer, too—amplified by the fact that the designers traded the sheer cotton voiles and crochets of last spring for luxe, heavier fabrics we typically see in their Fall collections. There was a bold new ikat in shades of rust and marigold, for instance, which they found in a French mill’s archive. It appeared on an unraveling trumpet gown, puffed-sleeve blouses, and a bra top and peplum skirt—the ultimate “date night” look for young Brock girls. That said, New York women who prefer trousers—even for Le Coucou!—will only find two pairs in the show (or maybe four, if you count the briefs under silk evening coats).Many of the models also had wide-brim hats by Nick Fouquet tied behind their necks, a signature of Georgia O’Keeffe. Laura said she was thinking about the artist, but not necessarily how she dressed: “I love how Georgia approached her work,” she explained. “She once said, ‘I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life, and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing that I wanted to do.’ To create anything takes courage.” If the corset dresses, puffed sleeves, and ornate fabrics didn’t feel like a huge leap for the Brocks, there were still moments of boldness. Cut in simple, V-neck shapes, the beaded-fringe dresses veered from their antique-y, Victorian vibe and could lead to more red-carpet opportunities.
A lot of actresses and models have worn the Brocks’ flowery gowns and skirt suits, but the look doesn’t work for every celeb or occasion.On the other hand, women who’ve found the label’s bustiers and brocades to be littletooladylike will be delighted by the more eccentric, feather-trimmed frocks. The most out-there number combined sheer black lace, multistriped jacquard, and two tiers of fluffy white plumes—a welcome surprise in a collection that was otherwise unequivocally gorgeous.
9 September 2018
Last night, Kristopher and Laura Brock attended the CFDA Awards with Emily Ratajkowski, arguably one of the most influential women in fashion at the moment. Her Instagram account has 17.5 million followers for several reasons: Some of us love her sexy-yet-sweet style, others love her outspoken feminism, and others love, well, everything about her. (EmRata feels empowered, not objectified, by those nearly naked selfies and bikini shots.) And despite the designers’ penchant for wallpaper florals, puff sleeves, and taffeta ruffles, Ratajkowski is definitely a Brock girl, because the clothes are really about romance. Sometimes it’s a little naive, like those milkmaid-y blouses; sometimes it’s a little Old World, particularly in the rich antique fabrics they use; and other times, it’s more deshabille, such as their sheer bustier tops and lacy slips.For Resort 2019, the Brocks captured that romance better than ever by photographing the collection outdoors in upstate New York. Surrounded by enormous trees and lush flowers (which nearly matched the shades of orange, ivory, and pink in the lineup), the clothes came to life. The evening gowns felt more rustic and grounded, for instance, shot by an old wooden fence, and the endless greenery and beams of sunlight made even the simplest poplin dress look like a painting.Ratajkowski’s dress was the last one photographed here: a lacy, long-sleeved black number with a corseted waist and antique floral embroidery. The bustier dress is a Brock signature, and there was a softer ivory version of that gown, too. But the duo took the concept of lingerie dressing a bit further: tulle bras layered under gingham silk shirts and raw-edged blazers. Paired with matching trousers or pencil skirts, the results were still pretty covered up; in fact, we can see a lot of New York women wearing the bras, because they feel more like extra-special layering pieces than actual lingerie.That Brock balance of sex appeal and charm is one of the reasons why so many young women have fallen in love with the brand, often via Instagram (maybe even EmRata’s Instagram). They’ll likely be drawn to the white cotton pieces, such as a pleated shirtdress, a voluminous crop top, and a tiered ruffled skirt. The excellent knits may be a little more expensive, but they’re smart investments; Kristopher pointed out a rounded, unstructured jacket in creamy double-face cashmere as his favorite.
It had the ease of an oversize cardigan but could very well be a future heirloom.
6 June 2018
If you had to choose one word to describe Brock Collection, it would beromantic. Even in the very beginning, when Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar hewed to a cleaner, more minimalist aesthetic, there was romance in their rich, touchable fabrics; their hand-finished details; and even their non-stretch jeans, which had a familiar, sentimental feeling you typically only get with vintage. More recently, their idea of romance has been a little more overt: flirty, sheer voile dresses, barely-there straps, raw-edged silk corsets. Those pieces are obsessed over and cherished by young women, and they’ve been a crucial part of the brand’s success. But a common critique is that they might feel a little too young. So for Fall 2018, the designers changed course towards a more mature, polished look—Vassar called it “cinematic.” They watchedSabrinaand other vintage films, meditating not just on the sense of occasion in the clothes, but also the grand, sweeping romantic gestures. Both of those things have been somewhat lost in our digital age—we wear leggings instead of tea dresses, and exchange Instagram memes instead of love letters. So Fall wasn’t just about speaking to an older customer, but to old souls, too.It started with expanding their eveningwear (perhaps because Brock has become such a go-to for red carpets and galas) with long, streamlined gowns in special fabrics. A long-sleeved lace number wasn’t actually lace, but hand-embroidered tulle, and the velvet gowns that closed the show were coated in dense embroideries. And at a time when your coat is your best accessory, the evening coats and coat/dress hybrids were compelling, too. One came in a floor-length pin-striped floral jacquard with of-the-moment ribbon ties and removable fur muffs, topped off with a few of the quartz necklaces Marie-Hélène de Taillac made for the show.Those in the crowd were hoping for surprises, but they wanted to see a few of those familiar Brock-isms, too—the antique florals, the bustier dresses, the unraveling brocades. The signature ruched frocks came with trailing black bows at the shoulders, and fans of the label’s Pre-Fall collection will be happy to see more of the peplum skirts and two-piece cocktail ensembles. One dress that felt entirely new was also one that was easy to miss: a long-sleeved black cotton number with a low, scooped-out neckline, cinched with a crocodile belt.
It was the closest thing to a “basic” the Brocks have ever done, and it would be interesting to see more pieces like that in future collections (or even a limited capsule). There’s a market for casual, everyday dresses with just a touch of romance, and we’re thinking the price would be good, too.
9 February 2018
Over the past few seasons, Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar have zeroed in on a signature they describe as “raw and romantic.” You could also call it “dressed up, but not.” They’ll elevate a cotton voile dress with pintucks and puffed sleeves, or they’ll do the opposite with a taffeta cocktail frock—strip out the fussiness by leaving the edges unfinished and pushing a sleeve off the shoulder. Those offhand yet elegant dresses are a Brock specialty, but for the label’s first Pre-Fall collection, the focus shifted a bit further into evening territory. Perhaps it’s because its “evening gowns” from Spring 2018—which were actually floral slip dresses with lace overlays on top—have been a hit on the red carpet.“We wanted to push ourselves to explore evening the way our woman would wear it,” Vassar explained. “It’s not so precious.” That translated mostly to evening separates: raw-edged floral maxi skirts with big ruffled peplums; strapless corsets to wear alone or over poplin shirting; and a few “suits,” too, like a collarless floral jacket and skirt cinched with a crocodile belt. It could all be mixed and layered for the fanciest occasion, or simply worn with the label’s popular jeans. That versatility isn’t just the point of Pre-Fall, but it’s also how women want to shop these days.In the showroom, Brock and Vassar kept going back to their favorite textile: a hardy blue vintage jacquard they discovered deep in a fabric mill’s archive. Other designers may have overlooked it for being too “antique,” but on an unlined coatdress—button it up for a black-tie gala, or wear it open during the day—it was strikingly modern. Quintessentially Brock, too.
18 December 2017
New Yorkers might be lamenting the end of summer, but Laura Vassar and Kris Brock live in Newport Beach, California, where it’s perennially gorgeous. The crisp 65-degree weather we’ve experienced this week is sort of like their winter—so it makes sense that Spring is Brock Collection’s season. It’s their time to play with floral prints, breezy dresses, and sexy-sweet ruffles and ruching, and Spring ’18 had the loveliest results yet.Brock Collection already had a strong following—many of the women at the show spent the summer in the label’s floral voile dresses—but today it felt like Brock and Vassar had found their groove. They’ve figured out their strengths (as Brock put it, that’s “raw and romantic, but not too precious” dresses), honed in on their customer, and have a crystal-clear idea of how to move forward. Any designer will tell you that takes time; those who have followed Brock Collection since the beginning will recall that it used to be more minimal than romantic.The show opened with a lace, cherry-embroidered dress and flat gladiator sandals (which accompanied every look), followed by a bright red taffeta cocktail dress that wilted delicately off the shoulders. Dresses that appear to be just shy of falling off have become a signature for Brock; another puff-sleeved floral frock had the same undone effect, and Vassar described the black lace finale gowns as looking “slept in.”A few of those gowns were actually two-in-one dresses, consisting of a sheer lace dress over a floral slip. They should resonate with women looking for darker, evening-friendly dresses that feel a little more grown-up; pastel florals aren’t for everyone, and some might say they skew young. But the casual pieces in humble fabrics made an impression, too: There was tons of raw burlap—tiered skirts, narrow coats, and a striped dress that was unraveling at the edges—and airy, semi-sheer cotton “sleep tanks” and bloomers. You could picture Brock’s youngest customers wearing them on the hottest day of summer before changing into a plunging floral dress for dinner.
7 September 2017
Since taking home the top prize in the CFDA/VogueFashion Fund last fall, Brock Collection has been in expansion mode. Resort included the brand’s first swimsuit, a ruffled one-piece you could wear under their best-selling Wright jeans, and they're working on a solo shoe collection, too. Instead of diving headfirst into a bunch of new categories, though, Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar paused to reflect on their signatures—a tip they picked up from their industry mentors. Resort was an exercise in what Brock does best: vintage-y florals, corset dresses and tops, and ruffles, always with a bit of rawness.Fans of the label’s pretty, flowery dresses won’t be disappointed by the variety here, ranging from soft chiffon dresses in lemon and baby blue to taffeta frocks with rows of small ruffles. A few dresses came in new extended lengths, like a floral shirtdress that hit right at the ankle or a flowing, strapless lilac gown. Mixed in with all those blooms were hardier fabrics like denim, poplin, and a new addition: burlap.Brock and Vassar said the original plan was to use some kind of tweed, but when one of their mentors saw the burlap scraps draped over vintage furniture in their Newport Beach studio, it suddenly seemed like the perfect alternative. Burlap combines the look and feel of tweed with a subtler, rustic sensibility. They used it for wide-leg trousers, lean coats, and shoes, as well as a long-sleeved, corseted dress with a full, swishy skirt. In soft taupe, it looked like a subtle, practical alternative to all the fussy white dresses in your spring wardrobe.
12 June 2017
Laura Vassar and Kristopher Brock are feeling the love. Last November, the husband-and-wife duo took home the top prize in the CFDA/VogueFashion Fund, and they likely spent some time basking in the afterglow. But in the roughly three short months since then, a lot has changed in the world—so for Fall ’17, they were thinking about injecting a little love into the everyday. That came through first in the warm and fuzzy textures—mink scarves, chunky wool cardigans, plush corduroy—and also in the repeated use of red (the color of love).The most romantic, emotional looks came at the end of the show in the form of ruched, puff-shouldered gowns. In paper-thin taffeta, they were proper ball gowns without the filler, and likely a first for the label. Perhaps Vassar and Brock designed them with the red carpet in mind; celebrities including Jessica Alba, Margot Robbie, and Rihanna already wear their coats or dresses, and awards season is in full swing. Here’s hoping an Oscars nominee has the guts to wear the lavender wallpaper-floral gown, which was the show’s unequivocal highlight.As for the rest of the collection, the label’s best-selling jeans made a few appearances, but were outnumbered by fancier stuff: cocktail dresses, pencil skirts, and lots and lots of fur. In fact, we may need to find a substitute for the termcocktail dress—it sounds fusty and old-fashioned, and the ruched bustier dresses were neither of those things. They were deceptively simple, and lent themselves to a ribbed knit or button-down layered underneath. On the other hand, the fur started to feel excessive; the belted coats were lovely, but a few shoulder-baring mink jackets seemed a bit gratuitous. A fur coat is a lifetime investment, not something particularly suited to trends. Women will likely gravitate toward the camel and tweed topcoats instead; they were just as elegant, but practical, too—something we often crave in uncertain times.
9 February 2017
Rich fabrics like brocade and floral-printed silk have becomeBrock Collection’s signature, but it’s the easy, offhand attitude that earned Laura Vassar and Kristopher Brock a place in the CFDA/VogueFashion Fund competition. They’ll whip up an evening coat in a glittering jacquard, for instance, then pair it with their straight-leg jeans, which have a cult following of their own. Toni Garrn and Stella Maxwell were wearing them in the front row with simple black T-shirts and pumps. It offered a clue to who the Brock woman is; she might not be a model, but she has an elegant, unfussy personal style and appreciates a little high-low contrast.Spring found the husband-and-wife design duo pivoting a bit, but the fabrics were still the main draw. New for this season was a striped, sunset-hued, paper-thin taffeta, which turned up on pajama tops and short-sleeved shirtdresses. “We wanted to do another shirting weight that wasn’t poplin,” Vassar said, adding that the palette was inspired by Californian deserts. Those taffeta items were a nice warm-weather alternative to the heavier, fancier materials Brock is known for, though the shimmering orange, purple, and green jacquard jacket that hit the runway later in the show would be tempting year-round.Vassar and Brock also played with humble fabrics like linen and cotton voile, spinning them into hand-pleated floral dresses, boxy blouses, and evening coats. They introduced clingy ribbed-knit dresses, too, but those felt a bit nonessential, ditto the zip-up cotton tops with matching cigarette pants. There’s nothing wrong with simplicity—the military-style trenches and pleated taffeta dresses were simple and lovely—but those items didn’t gel with the antique-y, luxe-but-unprecious vibe that made Brock Collection an industry favorite. It made you wish there were just afewmore of those statement brocade jackets to daydream about wearing with your jeans.
9 September 2016
You’ll find lush brocades, printed silks, and pearl embroideries in Brock Collection’s new Resort lineup. But you’ll also find denim. Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar’s signature straight-leg, non-stretch jeans were so popular when they launched last year that the duo has been busy expanding their offering with distressed boyfriend jeans, overdyed rust jeans, and selvedge jeans with just a hint of comfy stretch. Paired with their new silk bustiers, mink robes, and alligator boots (made in collaboration with George Esquivel), it’s high-low juxtaposition at its finest.Where other designers have specific reference points or muses each season, Brock and Vassar are hyper–detail oriented. For them, it all starts with beautiful, unexpected fabrics, like a lavender and gold brocade (which was flipped inside out on a few pieces), a mint oleander-printed silk, and a menswear-inspired stripe in burgundy and steel blue. From there, the silhouettes could be simple and straightforward—but nothing is reallythatsimple for Brock and Vassar. You got the sense that the ruching on a silk dress wasn’t as easy as it looked, ditto the rows of pleats and tiny spider stitches on a button-front skirt. Other items, like a cropped blouse with rounded sleeves and a mélange-knit sweater, were charming in their plainness.In that sense, Brock and Vassar leave much of the styling up to the wearer. Their bustier tops had adjustable straps that could be tied at the clavicle or draped over the shoulders, for instance, and they introduced their first jewelry collection, which includes sculptural gold bangles and hoops. A grosgrain belt with gilded flowers at the center may not count as jewelry, but it was a key accessory: Loop it around a snug cardigan, slip dress, or even a blazer for just a hint of shimmer. Of course, some looks won’t require any extra styling at all. The cotton dresses dripping in silver, tortoise, and pearl beads were opulent, but a little earthy, too, and begged to be taken on a trip to Tulum, Mexico.
3 June 2016
As more designers begin to question the traditional fashion cycle—four collections per year shown to buyers and press 6 months before they’re available—one of the big talking points at the shows has been “retail fatigue.” Customers are sick of the collections by the time they hit stores, and there’s simply too much stuff to make sense of. The challenge for young designers is to keep up with the changing tides—and, of course, to produce truly desirable clothes. Establishing a strong, identifiable signature also helps.Brock Collectionis only a few years old, but husband-and-wife duo Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar quickly carved out a niche for elevated, luxurious minimalism. Their Fall collection went in a slightly more opulent direction: Brocade coat-dresses, belted mink blazers, and beaded velvet skirts mingled together in a way that felt both refined and a little offhand. See the fox-fur stoles looped around ribbed knits and an ivory mink jacket with distressed jeans. “We wanted to use fur in a way that felt more everyday and livable,” Vassar explained backstage. Sure, that mink robe is impossibly luxe, but pairing it with humble, non-stretch denim is what felt truly new.That juxtaposition could be Brock Collection’s “thing.” Their denim is already a hit—last season, they introduced a straight-leg, no-fuss jean that fits better than vintage Levi’s—and luxurious fabrics have featured prominently in every collection. The Edwardian era was Brock and Vassar’s starting point this season, so they developed incredible custom brocades and embroidered silks, seen on ultra-high corseted skirts and nipped-waist coats. Other looks, like fuchsia plaid blouses tucked into satin pencil skirts, didn’t resonate quite as much. But if the designers continue to explore their strongest categories—those superrich fabrications and great, simple denim—they’ll have no problem holding our attention.
12 February 2016
Brock Collectionis still a relatively young label, but husband-and-wife duoKris BrockandLaura Vassarhave already established their signatures. They’re proponents of an unfussy femininity that’s rooted in luxe fabrics and simple silhouettes. Brocade in particular is a Brock staple; it’s appeared in every collection thus far, from midi-length skirts to billowing, floor-grazing shirtdresses. For Spring, the textures were even more opulent—see the hand-embroidered cotton dresses and ivory python pencil skirt. Those items took “elevated daywear” to an entirely new place.Brock and Vassar’s point of view is more about subtle flourishes than specific themes, but they did cite architecture as an influence. “We designed the collection while we were living at my parents’ house, which my mom designed,” Vassar explained at their peaceful High Line Room presentation. “It’s all Gustavian and Swedish style, so it’s really simple and beautiful with clean lines. So we were thinking a lot about restraint—I think it’s harder to restrain yourself than it is to go overboard.” Where they could have added more structure or embellishment to their garments, they held back. One of the best examples of this philosophy was actually made up of two classics: a striped shirt that extended to the floor (and could also be worn as a dress) layered over cropped jeans. Mixing in those casual, humble textures is another Brock signature, ensuring “the clothes feel special, but not precious.” These were luxurious pieces meant to be worn in your real life, a point that was highlighted by the models’ footwear: Each look was paired with flat python sandals, a new category for the designers. Here’s hoping Brock bags are next.
15 September 2015
Still searching for those perfect vintage Levi's? Save yourself the hassle and hold out for Brock Collection's new jeans instead. Husband-and-wife duo Kris Brock and Laura Vassar were thinking about Carolyn Bessette when they designed their new collection, so it makes sense that their first jeans have all the '90s qualities we're currently craving: a straight leg, medium wash, and just the right amount of heft without feeling stiff. What you won't find: rips, fading, or extra slouch. "The whole collection really started with the jeans," Vassar explained. They paired them with relaxed basics inspired by their muse, like a superfine black turtleneck, shell-pink coat, or a crisp, knotted tank. Elsewhere, they used a soft cornflower-blue jacquard on a double-breasted jacket and nipped-in skirt because it "reminded them of faded jeans."Unexpected fabrics are becoming a go-to for the label. A trio of saffron floral silk dresses with flecks of metallic gold felt extra rich but would be just as easy to wear as the more minimal propositions. Other highlights here were in the details: A sash around the waist, delicate padding at the shoulders, and a knit with the subtlest pointelle stitch captured the brand's simple-yet-special vibe that, like Carolyn Bessette, doesn't go out of style.
8 June 2015
Brock Collection is just three seasons old, but the husband-and-wife duo behind the brand, Kris Brock and Laura Vassar, has quickly gained a cult following. Credit their full résumés for the lack of missteps new labels often experience: Vassar worked as a stylist in L.A. for several years before enrolling in Parsons, where she met Brock, a skilled tailor. After graduating, getting married, and working in various jobs, they made their vision for romanticized, elevated basics a reality.Fall marked their New York fashion week debut. Presented in the sunny Highline Room at the Standard Hotel, well-cut jackets and knits mingled with custom embroideries, a fuzzy slate-blue tapestry print, and pale gold separates. The clothes were simple, but special; American, but also a little French. And all those prints and textures looked good layered on top of each other. Each garment was constructed with the tiniest details in mind, from bias stitching that created soft draping on a smock-front dress to the hidden snaps on a no-frills leather jacket. During a preview, the designers toyed with the lengths of sashes, tying them in big bows at the back or obi-style on the front. In the end, they went with a smaller bow on the side to punctuate floor-grazing shirtdresses, one in a moody floral and another in crisp cotton."We wanted to design clothes my friendsandmy mom would want," Vassar said. Upscale, yes, but these were clothes you could actually wear—they didn't feel too precious. Not to mention the fact that Vassar just gave birth to the couple's first baby and had ease, comfort, and wearability on the brain. On that note, editors zeroed in on the massive, reversible black leather and shearling coat: It would have been useful for the subzero temperatures we've been experiencing this week.
17 February 2015