A serendipitous meet-cute of East and West coast natives brings forth a new collaboration that’ll appeal to both denim and design lovers this spring: Agolde, the LA-based sustainable denim label known for its boundary-pushing commitment to quality, washing, and fits has teamed up with Maria McManus, the New York City-based designer known for her considered, feminine approach to ready-to-wear.
The capsule is a melding of minds with a shared passion and clear understanding of the sustainable fashion landscape, realized in a 16-piece collection that’s available exclusively at Net-a-Porter and Agolde on March 7. Vogue readers get a chance to shop the collection directly for 24 hours on Agolde first, today, March 6.
The idea of collaborating came about a little over a year ago, over dinner during New York Fashion Week when clothes, of course, came up—and I proposed introducing to a like-minded peer, Agolde CEO Amy Williams. From McManus’s very first NYFW presentations, where she’d intricately detail how each garment was made, to Agolde’s LA-based denim factory, where each pair is treated like it’s one of a kind, I knew both would have plenty in common, including extensive knowledge on what’s actually needed to make good clothes. It was an innocent connection that led to a desirable, well-crafted, collection mere months later.
The idea, as it happens, came together in no time: Agolde creative director Karen Phelps says that from their first meeting—a coffee that turned into a three-hour meeting—they had settled on a clear idea of what the collection would be. Three weeks later, sketches were ready to be turned into samples.
“There was a synergy and authenticity to the way we designed together,” McManus adds of the process—a joint vision that naturally unfolded over the course of several months as they worked to bring the various pieces to life: skater shorts, wide-leg jeans, denim outerwear and clean poplin shirts that range from $158 to $698. McManus infused her signature design and styling details—lace, exquisite craft by way of macramé, and not-so-girly pink—into Phelps’s penchant for clean lines, tailored denim, and sharp details.
The result is a little over a dozen of ultra-versatile staples—cool and edgy, with a subtle softness—that feel distinctly Agolde and Maria McManus at once. There’s an update on the barn jacket in a soft light blue wash, with a contrast white leather collar; a sweeping denim car coat ideal for transitional weather, and an A-line denim skirt designed to be worn over pants. The color palette is purposefully light: classic white, pale pink, and cloud-like blues that meet spring’s arrival at the perfect moment.