STORIES / THE VOGUE EDIT: PRE SPRING 2022
RAQUEL ALLEGRA PRE SPRING COLLECTION 2022
Raquel Allegra is known for her tie-dye techniques, reworked each season on cashmere sweaters, jersey dresses, jumpsuits, and beyond. But even her most dedicated customers may not realize that each garment is actually one-of-a-kind. Allegra’s team individually hand-dyes every single piece, a step other brands might skip in favor of digital prints that can be easily repeated and mass-produced. For Allegra, the extra time and energy makes all the difference; even when tie-dye isn’t “trending,” her prints look artful and nuanced, with more of a watercolor finish than your run-of-the-mill graphic streaks.
When is the next RA New Moon?
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Resort 2022 has its fair share of tie-dye, and Allegra said this was the first season she tried to keep the palette extra tight, working in a narrow range of emerald, peony, orange, and sky. A turtleneck sweatshirt and matching pants came in a soothing, sun-faded mix of taupe and powder blue, and there was a looser “pastel cloud” pattern in shades of blush, mint, and silver.
The collection’s real surprise was the group of solids: The look book opens with a seemingly-plain ivory tank dress with blue and pink sweatshirts looped around the waist. Look closer, and you’ll notice the fuchsia sweatshirt has hints of green; the blue one is tinged with beige; and the dress has faded black along the seams. Elsewhere, a neon pink “painter trench” comes with large fields of gray over the pockets, while a black faille cargo pant features a similar motif in emerald green. They’re each the result of Allegra hand-painting the garments in broad brushstrokes, treating the fabric like a canvas and paying no mind to imperfections or smudges. (She didn’t mention Mark Rothko, but his color field paintings spring to mind.)
On a laptop, zooming in on the photos gives you a sense of the effect, but Allegra—Zooming in herself from the Southwest—insisted it’s completely different IRL. She described the blue-taupe combination in particular as looking almost holographic up close, probably even more so in the sun. Just like her tie-dye pieces, each garment will be hand-painted by her team, not mass-produced. Consider them a compelling new way to enjoy Allegra’s artisanal techniques without committing to a print—or giving up your #WFH sweatshirt habit.
PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURED BY KAYT JONES
MUSE FLORA CARTER
BTS VIDEO DIRECTED BY JEREMY SINCLAIR
VIDEO EDITING BY LACEY SEEBINGER
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY TYLER CASH
WORDS FROM EMILY FARRA + VOGUE
