Rebecca de Ravenel Plots Further Expansion
Rebecca de Ravenel, she of the tri-ball “Bon Bon” statement earring that set off a global trend and inspired innumerous knock-offs, is moving onward and upward from the spherical style.
The designer first introduced ready-to-wear last season — an outing that proved successful, with the clothing category growing to become half her business. All but one of her stockists picked up the ready-to-wear offering for spring. Come this month, the clothes will hit the racks of stores including Barneys New York, Fivestory, The Webster, Kirna Zabête and Matchesfashion.com.
This season she will expand upon on that collection — offering a new season’s worth of wares inspired by the concept of a confident woman sitting in The Carlyle Hotel’s library, awaiting an evening’s date at the opera. The collection will be shown to press tomorrow.
“When I start designing something, I always think about where a woman is sitting in a specific room. She is smart, she knows who she is, she is very in touch with her femininity — everything is quite covered because I like long things, but with shapes to accentuate the waist. The pants have boning in [them], owning to a certain sophistication,” de Ravenel said.
For the collection, de Ravenel traveled to Morocco to research weaving techniques that she applied to three new bag designs, including envelope clutches and a miniature snake charmer-type basket bag, priced between $300 and $415, retail.
Earrings this season consciously make a further effort at moving beyond the Bon Bon, as de Ravenel looks to racket up her brand’s profile from that of a singular-product source to a full-service lifestyle provider.
“I love people to come to me for a lifestyle. You can buy a belt, a dress and the plates, so you can have dinner in my caftan. I think people want an [aspirational] lifestyle to look to now, when buying into a brand,” de Ravenel said.
The season’s earrings take the shape of fans, hearts and elephant tusks, all made with de Ravenel’s signature cording fabrication. Spheres do present themselves, but this time oversize and patterned, or stone-set. Droplet shapes are strung with gold leaf detailing. Most earrings are priced from $295 and $515.
Expanding her purview as a lifestyle outfitter, de Ravenel decided to introduce a selection of new accessory categories. For fall, she will launch statement necklaces, hats, brooches, rings and belts, the majority of which are priced up to $500.
With the bulk of her professional experience lying in interior design, this August, de Ravenel will mark the launch of her first home collection — presented in partnership with Moda Operandi.
Related stories
Jewelry-Focused Melee the Show Proves Small Is Beautiful
International Talent Support Contest Returns for 16th Edition
Get more from WWD: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
