Sharon Wauchob--Pearls & Stitches

One of the most exciting things to see in fashion is a designer who is obsessed with their materials.  Sure, designers who are all about shape and color are cool.  There's a real place for them.  But, textiles are the THING that is fashion and I think many designers kinda forget to pay enough attention to it.  Sharon Wauchob's obsession is with excellence in textiles and innovation in fabrics and materials.

Wauchob is an Irish designer who attended St. Martins and currently has both the creative director for both the Sharon Wauchob line and Edun.  The Sharon Wauchob line is based in and shows in Paris; the line is finished in Paris but the textiles are fabricated around the world, with many being made in Japan.  She previously worked for Louis Vuitton and Koji Tatsuno before she started her own line.

The black dress she had in her 2011 Spring show is something to be really excited about.  It looks like...pearls are embroidered on?!  I can't tell from the picture if it is pearls or embroidery, but this particular collection included such dresses and this looks like it should be one of them.  See, I've been quite taken with the idea of clothes with real pearls applied to them for quite some time and I've just never seen this done--this makes me sooooo excited!!  Its beautiful, classic but wearable, it's exactly what I want to wear this spring.  The colors are ones that look great on everyone, the neckline is interesting and the print-effect of the fabric is beautiful.  Love this dress!!

Another look in Wauchob's collection that was really something was the brown tone on tone suit.  I know, it's very simple.  But, its flattering and YOUNG looking.  Its friggin hard to find a nice, beautiful suit as a young woman.  They don't make them.  But, here is one of those unicorns--a suit any woman can wear without making them look old and fashion-backward.  The blazer is incredibly lovely and makes the model look slim and modern.  The blouse is simple and feminine.  The pants are flattering and comfortable looking.  Also, the fabrics of the pieces look BEAUTIFUL.  You just want to reach out and touch them.  The look luscious and expensive.  Sure, the look is simple but its really something work wearing.  Wauchob is known for her "alternative" looks, but in this she shows that she can do all things, even classic.

The Sharon Wauchob line is absolutely lovely, not just for the basic design elements, but for the attention to detail and work put in towards using the best textiles.  I mean, a dress with stripes made of pearls?!

Pictures from Style