What’s great about the Vessel is that the line feels very inclusive. With many designers one gets the sense that they are only looking to dress 5’10” waifs or house their designs in a museum to their own creativity. The Vessel is different – many looks would look great on a teenager, but better on someone mature enough to know how to accessorize it properly. And make no mistake- these pieces are foundational. I expect many fans of the Vessel prefer to make them their own by adding their personal accoutrements.
I hesitate to bring this up at all, but I couldn’t help but think a little about race while I was at Samuels’ show. Samuels packed her gift bag with an issue of Uptown magazine, a luxury publication that targets high-income black readers. Samuels is profiled as part of a piece on “4 Designers to Watch,” but the issue’s main feature, just pages earlier, is “Fashion Blackout.”
