Katie Ermilio (Q4909)
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Katie Ermilio is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Katie Ermilio |
Katie Ermilio is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Like many designers,Katie Ermiliois focusing on introducing more separates in her collections. “The clothes are interchangeable because that is how the customer is buying,” she said at her showroom. “I’m giving more options for that.” Ermilio has advantages when it comes to making this transition: For one, she knows how young women like to dress, being one herself. Secondly, she has a strong background in textiles and is well known for developing her own fabrics. The end result is that her separates come together—as well as apart—seamlessly. A bohemian Chantilly-lace frock speckled with lavender-blue and orange florals was actually a high-waisted skirt paired with a matching poet-sleeve top, but thanks to expert tailoring, the waistband all but disappeared. Separately, the pieces could have worked in a more casual way: the shirt elevating a pair of vintage jeans; a white tee taking the skirt in a more casual direction.Shirting was a theme throughout the collection. One standout was a body-skimming white dress that had laces tracing down the sleeves. Polished and cool without being too precious, it looked like a modern alternative to the button-up. Ermilio liked the dress so much she made it into a shirt—her customers will like this option, too.
25 October 2016
Katie Ermiliohas solidified herself in the market of young women who know what they want out of evening wear, namely, eschewing the hefty poof of ball gowns in favor of more streamlined, form-fitting pieces. With that silhouette in mind, there were several predictable yet no-fail numbers, like a slinky cream long-sleeved scoop-neck dress and a little black dress with delicate bow straps. But it was when Ermilio strayed from less classic and into riskier, skin-baring territory that her creations came to life. A high-collared, thigh-skimming frock, as well as the scoop-neck version, made from black chiffon dotted with Lurex-velvet floral appliqués were both refreshing, sultry standouts among the more pared-back pieces.There was outerwear on offer too, something Ermilio is becoming increasingly recognized for: Just last month,Gigi Hadidwas spotted wearing a rabbit fur peacoat by the designer, casually, with a pair of jeans. For Fall, there were camel and peach duster coats, complete with a fox-fur stole thrown over the chest. Sure, the toppers were styled with evening gowns, but they were also the types of cool, elevating pieces that young women, like Hadid, can wear with their denim in the daytime—and something we hope to see more of from Ermilio.
12 February 2016
Katie Ermilio’sdesigns have quickly become staples of the red carpet, trotted out by celebrities likeJessica Alba,Taylor Swift, andSelena Gomez. With the designer's Spring collection, which emphasized curve-skimming silhouettes and self-created luxe fabrics, it was obvious that her focus hasn’t wavered from occasion-dressing. Taking tennis as a theme, Ermilio translated the aerial views of center court into sleek strapless gowns, empire-waist jumpsuits, and fitted double-faced silk skirts, converting the fresh palette of the racquet grounds into a smooth color wheel of Pepto pinks and sage greens.Ermilio’s use of linear patterns smartly complemented her body-hugging fits. A pinstripe duchesse dress mirrored the grids on the court, while the tonal checks in emerald gave a high-waisted trumpet skirt less of a froufrou effect and more structure. But Ermilio also put a pointed spin on her eveningwear specialty by creating separates that could easily become elevated daytime pieces. For example, there was pair of Betty Draper–type, pink checked high-waisted trousers that could just as easily be worn with a classic white tee or Ermilio’s matching crop top in four-ply silk. Not just for cocktail hour, the designer seemed to say, and we couldn’t agree more.
17 September 2015
Katie Ermilio is making a name for herself as an eveningwear designer, creating polished, youthful pieces that offer something new to those with plenty of paid-seat parties to attend (including many a fashion editor). For Fall, Ermilio delivered the goods, deviating from the sweet pastel pink she's favored in the past and focusing on primary colors. There was a navy blue slipdress made out of a weighty swirling-floral wool lace (developed in-house), a sunny yellow strapless column in double-faced satin, and a true-red crop top—in double-faced satin, once again—worn with a wrap skirt tied up with an origami bow. "It's super-clean," Ermilio said at a preview. "I let the fabric do the talking." The single embellishment was midnight blue Swarovski pearls, dotted on a navy silk blazer and a pair of high-waisted briefs, which were worn under a swirling nylon lace T-shirt gown that subtly bustled at the back.What's notable about Ermilio is that she has such a strong sense of what she likes and what she doesn't—a firm belief in what her brand is meant to represent, which is rare so early in a label's existence. That's why it was nice to see her adding more sportswear into the mix: Her unwavering aesthetic means she can experiment with new categories without confusing the customer into wondering, "What is this brand about?" Her funnel-neck cashmere sweaters—knitted at a factory in the state of Georgia—and a cashmere sweatsuit in camel and gray stripe were in line aesthetically with her more formal fashions, offering her customer yet another reason to buy into the brand. What's more, Ermilio already has proof that these more casual looks can work: Her satin jeans, which have been around for a few seasons now, are a top seller.
12 February 2015
Katie Ermilio knows her way around a pretty party frock. Each season, the up-and-comer (who is a member of the current CFDA Incubator class) finds new ways to make her ultrafeminine occasion-wear feel youthful and modern. To achieve this balance, Ermilio focuses on clean, streamlined silhouettes that showcase her special fabrications. For Spring, the designer worked with a French mill to develop a dreamy velvet flocked chiffon that she cut into wispy slipdresses with delicate spaghetti straps. Instead of doing standard prints, Ermilio introduced pattern in the form of a floral Chantilly lace found on graphic A-line skirts, off-the-shoulder tops, and a retro bikini. While the latter didn't belong anywhere near water, its matching bandeau and high-waisted briefs looked fresh mixed with pencil skirts or a long-sleeved, open-front dress.Elsewhere, Ermilio experimented with playful bow details (decorating the shoulders of a standout cocktail number) and plush fuchsia panne velvet, which was featured on cute separates such as shorts, a car coat, and boxy tops that would pair terrifically with jeans. And speaking of jeans, Ermilio offered her own take on dungarees in luxe, faille-faced satin. "Steven Kolb [the CEO of the CFDA] was like, 'I want a pair,'" she reported. Continuing to introduce more casual items like those jeans keeps Ermilio's collections from seeming too girly or precious.
15 October 2014
Katie Ermilio was recently named a member of the CFDA's third Fashion Incubator class. The news has not only added to Ermilio's momentum, but also given her the opportunity to re-examine her brand from a business standpoint. Known for occasion-wear that's ultrafeminine yet minimal, the designer's new Fall collection indicated that she's no one-trick pony. A prime example of her growth this season was an orange-red parka cut from a waxed cotton sourced from a company that originally produced military tents during World War I. The sporty standout suggested that Ermilio is developing her range, as did additional separates like slim trousers, fancy T-shirts, and color-blocked topcoats that had mod sixties appeal. "I've been thinking more about a woman's wardrobe in the round," she said at a studio preview. Elsewhere, Ermilio continued to refine her signature cocktail attire with clean sheaths and strapless dresses that came in either candy-stripe satin or floral guipure lace. Another highlight was a beautiful ivory column gown with a low, scooped back and flouncy train. It was simultaneously pared down and dramatic, and would look terrific with the aforementioned parka.
10 March 2014
Patternmaking is in Katie Ermilio's blood. A granddaughter of Grace Kelly's personal clothier, Ermilio grew up in her father's bespoke menswear atelier, and continued down a similarly elegant path with a ready-to-wear line of her own focused on ultra-feminine eveningwear. Over the past several years, Ermilio has earned a following for charming cocktail frocks, which have been worn by such stars as Michelle Williams, Mickey Sumner, and Nora Zehetner, the latter of whom appears in the designer's Spring video. In the short clip, Zehetner stirs up trouble in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, skipping across sidewalks, playing on bike rails, and even painting a dashing muralist with the hand-drawn blue rose print that appears on silk taffeta pieces in the new collection. In general, Ermilio makes the kind of clothes you could picture a grown-up Eloise wearing around the Plaza: petal-pink silk faille tea dresses with sweet bow details and full crinoline skirts, swingy box-pleated strapless gowns, and a range of options for sophisticated bridesmaids. Special-occasion dresses are Ermilio's niche, but there were plenty of daytime wares here, too, including tailored shorts, miniskirts, crop tops, and a short-sleeve fur chubby that kept things from feeling too saccharine.
10 October 2013