Animal print and menswear inspired womenswear?
Score, Timo Weiland. Friends, for friends, after all.

I had the pleasure of personally meeting two of the three designers for Timo Weiland at their reception: Timo Weiland and Donna Kang, who personally encouraged friends to attend their presentation at Samsung’s tech savvy new store for New York Fashion Week (NYFW) SS17. The presentation in turn was called “Our Friends”, as an ode to the simple and laid back vibe of their collection.

The gender neutral theme was a subtext of the entire collection, which borrowed a lot from their menswear line. As third designer Alan Ecksteinthought said, they gave it a borrowed-from-the-boys feel, explained by the lack of lace and floral that saturated every show of the season. With oversized collars, boxy outerwear in suede and leather, and structured clothing, the silhouettes were loose, but well layered.

To my surprise and sheer joy, animal print was a central theme for the collection. Borrowing faded hues and nostalgic, loose cuts of the 90s, there was a pale coral leopard print sweater on a zebra print top, a dark blue printed sweater with royal blue shorts, loose fit indigo zebra pants and a dark rust zebra dress. Being a lifelong addict of animal print, I was visibly ecstatic.

The fits were loose and almost boyish, and almost unisex. An oversized sweater, a long red blouse jacket, and a white and brown suede jacket with circular metal hardware all looked like they could be adorned by guys and girls alike. However, pairing these with mixed print skirts, loose trousers, long earrings or simple skirts was a way to make it fit for the grungy, arty and effortlessly modern girl.

Aside from the tomboy looks, there were a few feminine touches, with two striking red pieces in particular: a red sleeveless dress and a long red coat atop a knee length dress. Several other looks had fringed hemlines, and the bold prints ensured that the relaxed silhouettes remained girlish.

The models sported several sunglasses, which were in collaboration with Zenni Optical, which were in curious shapes and popping colors, making for a fun, chill vibe. We could also buy the sunglasses, making for an interactive marketing strategy.

With a validated inspiration for menswear and the thrill of seeing the animal print trend sustaining through time, I looked forward to friending these downtown arty girls. Soon!
(And perhaps borrowing their clothes?)