Svitlana Bevza has shown in New York for several seasons now, presenting minimalist pieces with trompe l’oeil flare. This time, the Kyiv-based designer used envelopes throughout the collection, alluding to love letters to the earth: they were seen as clutches and as buttons in the shape of a wax seal.
The “love letter to the earth” idea went beyond skin deep and was present in how Bevza sourced her fabrics. While sustainability has been a buzzword in the United States and Western Europe for quite some time, it has been slower to take off in Bevza’s home terrain of Ukraine. Bevza is one of the biggest designers involved in the movement there, and began implementing sustainable techniques in her clothing back in 2018 with her eco-friendly puffers and later in 2019 with her knitwear crafted from recycled plastic bottles. Those puffers came back, this time as slick long vests and a tundra-ready maxi skirt, creating a sculpted silhouette. The nubby rib knits, a Bevza best-seller, were crafted out of recycled plastic bottles.
Throughout the collection, there were those cheeky pieces that make for good Instagram fodder, like an envelope-shaped clutch or a popcorn maxi dress, but the most impressive looks were the fish scale pieces. Their satisfying texture added some oomph to the otherwise simple looks. A silk slip skirt was made entirely out of the fish scale fabric, shimmering with each step, as did a midnight blue shift dress. The most impressive use of the technique was what first appeared to be a lace-trimmed slip dress: on closer inspection, the lace at the bust was actually the fish scale fabric.
Bevza knows her way around a great accessory, like her bags and the square-toe boots she brought back this season, but it pays to looks at the craftsmanship and the tiny details that elevate and bring her pared-back designs to life.
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