Kaufmanfranco (Q4912)
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Kaufmanfranco is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Kaufmanfranco |
Kaufmanfranco is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Ken Kaufman and Isaac Franco have moved into a light-and-airy showroom space in West Chelsea. What better way to showcase it, they thought, than with a Resort collection all done in optic black and white? "We wanted it to be arresting when people walked in," Kaufman said at an appointment.To be sure, these clothes were impossible to ignore. Inspired partly by the realGray's Anatomy—you know, the book about the human body—the designers pieced together uniquely textured fabrics, from houndstooth woven with metallic cellophane to scuba neoprene, to build dresses and separates that showed off the wearer's form. A leather-front sport coat, for instance, was lightened up with a sheer mesh back, while a white square-neck halter gown was trimmed in black leather. To further define the body, Kaufman and Franco cut out shoulders and articulated elbows on jackets. Sometimes, the effort felt a bit heavy-handed; mixed media can veer into busy territory very quickly. But there were other things for the duo's customer to love—especially the A-line, cross-front gowns, which felt easy but not lazy.
23 June 2015
There's often a divided nature about Kaufmanfranco collections. At their best, Ken Kaufman and Isaac Franco walk a fine line between sexy and restrained, flashy and minimal. Backstage before their Fall show, the designers summarized this season's artful contrasts: "If it was going to be indulgent, it was going to be very restrained—more badass, but a little good girl, in keeping with the DNA of who we are." The first look out was a sleek white wrap dress cut from a flattering, compact material that hugged all the right curves. Granted, DVF had a lock on the wrap dress category this week, but Kaufmanfranco's sharp take on the iconic style kicked things off on a high note. The duo continued to update classic staples such as tuxedo jackets, pencil skirts, and slim sheaths (in either double-face wool or napa leather) with discreet cutouts, high slits, and clean metallic accents. A "glacial blue" series felt particularly fresh, "like the icy top of a martini," Franco said.Moving into eveningwear, the designers channeled a slight nineties vibe with long bias-cut slips they said were a tribute to Kate Moss. One in herringbone-printed silk had graphic appeal topped with a matching wool duster coat. Meanwhile, a similar periwinkle-colored number felt modern paired with a gauzy cashmere pullover that shrugged off the model's shoulder. Casual yet sophisticated, these standout slips added a needed softness to the lineup, and encouraged ample layering. "We wanted that intimate lingerie feel but also a protective shell. It's about mixing that vulnerable thing with the 'nobody's getting through this,'" said Kaufman. Hence, a handful of high-tech parkas lined with plush mink. You could imagine a pretty young starlet wearing one in the car on her way to an event. She waits until the last moment, then whips it off just as she hits the red carpet, revealing a dazzling dress underneath—there were plenty that fit the bill here. The finale group of high-wattage embellished gowns had definite bling factor. Several featured allover crystals that appeared to have been slashed, and the thousands of tiny bugle beads covering a long-sleeved column had a liquid silver effect that lit up the runway.
11 February 2014
For Spring 2014, designers Ken Kaufman and Isaac Franco aimed to reclaim sportswear as their own after years of being pigeonholed by the media as "that brand Jennifer Aniston likes." "The basis of our collection has always been sportswear," said Franco backstage before the show.While they haven't forgotten about the red carpet altogether—if you're going to have an unintentional spokesmodel, Aniston is definitely not a terrible one—the focus on the runway was daywear. The designers were occupied by the idea of clothes as an almost second skin, the armor of an "urban huntress." For instance, a white wrap skirt was paired with a white bra top, its long ends bandaged around the model's waist. An off-the-shoulder sheath in neon red was also strategically bandaged, revealing slivers of skin here and there. And a short white shift was held together at the neckline by a sturdy but not heavy-looking harness. The look was chic but also strong.On the more daring side, the designers showed a "paratrooper" jumpsuit in both red and white. The style, done in a loose silk sheeting and gathered at the neckline in a halter, looked more like a gown than a onesie. And it worked.Stylist Kate Young's clean and easy approach to fashion brought the runway up a notch from previous seasons. And it sure didn't hurt that Alessandra Ambrosio opened and closed the show. Her mix of commercial sex appeal and high-fashion prowess is a good look for the brand.
8 September 2013
Ken Kaufman and Isaac Franco conjured up a modern vision of Jacqueline Onassis running around the Greek isles by showing an easy Resort collection full of sand tones, soft fabrics, and languid silhouettes. Billowing halter gowns adorned with a simple metallic plate at the neckline were cut from dune-colored stonewashed silk, for example, while a fluid strapless jumpsuit had an asymmetric drape. "We always like that effortless wrapped-towel look," the designers noted. While those understated evening numbers had pared-down appeal, Kaufmanfranco's growing red-carpet clientele (recent credits include Taylor Swift and Alessandra Ambrosio) will likely flock to the glitzier sequined columns and body-con minis here. Still, the biggest takeaway was the daywear, which the label has been honing since signing up to redesign uniforms for American Airlines earlier this year. Among the standouts were stretchy sheaths with minimal silver buckles, as well as safari-inspired jackets and cargo shorts whipped up from lightweight suede-bonded linen.
26 June 2013
Spies: so hot right now. Designers Ken Kaufman and Isaac Franco are just one of many labels claiming that espionage inspired their Fall collection.In this case, the reference was pretty clear in a trench called the Interrogator—available in both distressed calf and glazed felt—and several long column dresses. One, shown in a mossy matte jersey, and another in a charcoal wool were sexy and just subtle enough for a modern Miss Moneypenny. Kaufman and Franco, who launched their label in 2004 and hosted their first ever runway show today, are also obsessed with the idea of a good girl gone bad. "Like, if Rosemary ended up being evil at the end ofRosemary's Baby," said Kaufman before the show. A demonic Rosemary would love the gunmetal sequins, applied in an ombré pattern to the one dress with a sixties-mod feeling about it.While Kaufman and Franco are proud of the moves they've made into sportswear—this season's offering included black leather minis, leather shift dresses, and a gazillion pairs of fairly unexceptional leather pants—their vision for evening remains stronger by far. (They've dressed a number of celebrities, from Taylor Swift to Jane Krakowski to Jennifer Aniston.) The casual furs were nice, but when the fluffy stuff is coming down the runways in gobs, you have to better distinguish it from the rest. The duo was recently selected to redesign American Airlines' staff uniforms. It would be smart of them to use that utilitarian experience to inform the day clothes next season.
10 February 2013