Designer Discovery; Society for Rational Dress

Society for Rational Dress is often mistakenly perceived as a conceptual label. More cerebral than celebrity-crazed, SfRD is intrigued by the way cultures define what constitutes appropriate and logical clothing. The work of Society for Rational Dress is an industrial craft rather than avant-garde art. The concept behind the label is that it is impractical, and therefore irrational, to over-determine the shape of a garment made in multiples with no particular person in mind.

Society for Rational Dress also has a progeny named Guild, another sartorial project by designer Corinne Grassini. The threadbare T-shirt - that one you love till its death by disintegration –was the inspiration for their first collection. Keeping up the fight against trend based, throwaway fashion, Grassini created seven styles that pay tribute to the beloved staple. As in her designs for SfRD, Grassini pairs delicate feminine fabrics against solid industrial gear. For the premier collection each Guild garment combines burned-out soft sheer fabric with tough metal chains and grommets. Similar to SfRD, Guild is detailed yet minimal, with forms that are free-flowing yet stark.