Tosia (Q9372)
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Tosia is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Tosia |
Tosia is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Tosia designer Sara Hankin just finished remodeling an apartment in Greenwich Village. It’s both minimalist and warm, all shades of gray with marble counters, whitewashed brick, and plush upholstery. Her Fall 2018 collection hung on a single rack in a room off the kitchen, and like its surroundings, it was sleek, elegant, and hyper-edited. Hankin isn’t one for superfluous details or extras; her designs are utterly intentional. With one of her velvet jewel-toned robes for Fall, you won’t need another one—maybe ever. Ditto the silk wave-printed slip dresses, which held more interest than your standard bias-cut styles, thanks to an asymmetrical neckline and rows of covered buttons.Both of those pieces looked comfy enough to sleep in, which was sort of the point. Hankin was thinking about timeless design, not exactly in terms of silhouette or color, but in the way clothing can make you feel. “When you look at old photos of stylish women, there’s this ease about them,” Hankin said. It’s that unstudied, effortless nonchalance she was after, and while robes and kimonos have been trending for a few seasons, they also stand the test of time. Can you think of another garment you can wear at home, layered over jeans, or to a black-tie party? They aren’t just luxurious, they’re also wildly practical. There’s a timelessness in that, too.Don’t miss the back view, either: On all of the robes, Hankin embroidered the phases of the moon in gold thread. “I’ve always liked the idea that women are connected to the lunar cycle,” she explained. For the uninitiated, Ayurveda teaches that we have special rhythms connecting us to the moon: At the beginning of the moon’s cycle, our energy is lowest, so we’re advised to rest and practice inward reflection. About 30 days later, when the moon is full, our energy is at its highest point, so we’re encouraged to harness it at social events and at work. Hankin’s sumptuous robes and dresses would prepare you for both points in the cycle—and every day in between.
14 March 2018
Fires. Hurricanes. The EPA back-walking regulations intended to ameliorate the quickening progress of climate change. It’s all too easy to get down about the world these days and wonder:What can I do?One of the salutary things about visiting America’s Southwest, as Tosia designer Sara Hankin did this summer, is that staring across the expanse of the Painted Desert or down into the hollows of the Grand Canyon reassures you that the world will be just fine, with or without us. And one of the salutary things about talking to Hankin about her new collection was that it reminded you that you can always dosomething—even if the gesture is as small as Hankin’s commitment to cutting down waste by reusing old materials. Maybe that won’t stave off the apocalypse, but there will be some lovely Fortuny pleated dresses and separates to wear in the meantime.Hankin’s pleated looks, made from fabrics she has used before, represented a good part of this well-edited, Americana-inspired collection. If a slinky pleated dress in navy doesn’t strike you as particularly homespun, there was no mistaking the prairie girl vibe of the outing’s denim or gingham check, materials Hankin interpreted in nicely natty ways. Though the edges of her indigo denim skirt were raw, the graceful asymmetric flounce provided a sense of elevation. The same went for the Tosia-signature bustier cups that she cut into gingham tops and a bleached denim sundress. This collection wasn’t groundbreaking, but the looks were well judged, and Hankin applied a similar sense of measure in the way she dosed out her Americana homage. The reference deferred to the Tosia aesthetic. And in an understated way, the pleated pieces, produced as they were from upcycled fabrics, could be read as the most patriotic of all. In look and in make, they were hopeful.
20 October 2017
If you had to pick a single word to define the signature quality of Tosia, Sara Hankin’s young brand,judiciousmight be the one to choose. Hankin’s clothes are sexy, but in a sly way—she’s all about the wink of a well-placed, skin-revealing cut-out or lingerie-style fish-eye hooks that can be buttoned open or closed to suit a wearer’s mood. As signatures go, judiciousness isn’t particularly splashy, but it serves the designer’s purpose of making sophisticated clothes with a naughty undertone.Hankin’s concise new collection didn’t lack for loucheness: Inspired by the paintings of Francine Van Hove and Nan Goldin’s iconic photos, she summoned a boudoir vibe, emphasizing fabrics like washed silk and lightweight velvet, and dotting the lineup with robe- and pajama-inspired looks. These weren’t clothes for schlumping around in, however—this outing was a rather dressy affair, with even the outerwear given a formal edge thanks to its contrast patent piping. There were a lot of those kinds of punctuating details here, whether it was the piping likewise used on a corset-waist jumpsuit, the line of fish-eye hooks strung along the skirt slit and collarbone of a tailored velvet dress, or the loosely tied black ribbon on rose-hued evening looks. At an appointment, Hankin said she expected her clientele to dress her clothes up or down—relaxing the tone of a slit skirt, for instance, by pairing it with a T-shirt or one of Tosia’s ribbed knit tops—and to opt for modesty, or not. She has good instincts: Hankin’s keen sense of specificity is ultimately in the service of versatility. That ought to win her an increasing number of fans.
14 March 2017