Her spring collection clearly showed that Sharon Wauchob has reached a state of flow. Indeed, she has taken that transcendent fluidity between body and mind and translated it into garments that caress the wearer and interact with the air. “We assembled it very solidly and every step after that was quite quick and unapologetic,” the designer said during a phone call. “I feel like right now, especially with what we’re doing, the clarity needs to be there… the customers want to know how to use it.”
The entire collection, made largely from archival silk, some mixed with cotton, others with a papery technical finish (see the ditch), exuded confidence without a trace of banter. The image of a spider web, delicate yet strong, came to mind. That Wauchob can evoke such a feeling using the most ethereal materials – chiffon as delicate as a shadow, French lace, ostrich feathers and résille netting – is a testament to her skill and to her experience.
After founding her brand in 1998, this independent Irish designer is coming into her own. “We’re always told the same things, like, ‘Do what you believe in,’ but it’s so hard to maintain that focus. I think being a little more mature helps with that; I’m much better at it now than I used to be,” Wauchob said. “We have persevered and it does work to keep doing what you believe in.” As the designer expands her wholesale business and adds direct-to-consumer options, she’s sure to attract acolytes. She has thoughtful, well-made clothing that respects tradition yet is completely contemporary.
Wauchob said she works more intuitively and it was easy to notice. For spring, she started with the idea that “luxury doesn’t have to be an extreme proposition,” challenging herself to “achieve that irreverent balance between casual elegance and modern sensibility.” One of the ways she did that was by inflating a scrunchie (a touch of irony here)—”and I’m not a scrunchie girl at all,” Wauchob pointed out—into a kind of sculptural prop that could be worn as a peplum belt. or sash. In look two, this piece creates a break in a linear silhouette, created by a white camisole and fitted trousers cut on a curve. (Wauchob works with Saville Row-trained artisans in England.) Smaller feathered “scrunchies,” pushed up to the elbow, turned a silk T-shirt into a statement piece. An angelic top with floating streamers made from the spiral cuts that Wauchob has developed over time.
