Club de playa
For this collection, I chose to explore beach apparel and furniture as my canvas and draw inspiration from the patterns I encounter daily in the Caribbean. The color palette is almost always guided by the infinite array of pictures stored on my phone, capturing breathtaking sky colorways.
Three prints are part of our CLUB DE PLAYA drop. Inspired by the foldable vintage beach chairs, a classic for all vacation enthusiasts, we designed PALMA. A pattern of hand-made woven fabric that looks unique on each garment since the print is drawn by hand. The result is a bold yet organic garment that leaves a strong impression.
SUN LOUNGE will be a print available for bucket hats and shorts only. As its name suggests, it is directly inspired by the sun lounge of your favorite beach club. These are universal, and everyone can recall a memory from a vacation. My goal in creating clothing aligns with creating memories and garments for everyone. The print itself is hand-drawn by our print designer.
And, of course, if you follow the brand, you know the BANDANA is our iconic print. We call this one FLORAL since we built it around the hibiscus flower. Hibiscus? Yes, remember the 90s Hawaiian shirt; that’s the flower. A classic we've all worn at some point or will wear with this new drop. With every collection we release, we introduce new ideas to reinvent this iconic symbol worn by all classes and communities.
This drop brings new cuts and shapes. I’m thrilled about the laced items—laced tops, long-sleeved shirts with embroidered cuffs, and short-sleeved shirts. The lace can be tight, similar to a bikini top, to embrace the shape of your body and create looks depending on your mood. Our wrapping shorts are designed to let your body breathe with open sides.
CLUB DE PLAYA is all about vacation, with a strong belief that vacation is a mindset more than a place to be. This collection can be worn from the warm beach to your office, passing by your favorite city. So, we developed thicker cotton fabric for the bucket hat and the PAPA shorts. These above-the-knees shorts are the perfect item to match with a bikini top, a matching shirt, or for an oversized look, with a hoodie for cooler days. Multiple types of cotton fabrics have been used to fit the cut and purpose of every item.
I would be remiss not to finish with the CLUB DE PLAYA shirt. A love letter to all the artists in the Caribbean who hand-paint billboards, from a beach club to a restaurant, passing by a music event. This shirt is for you!
You buy it online - one click, and you've purchased your favorite shirt, so easy! Let me tell you how you get from a moodboard to this matching FLORAL BANDANA outfit you just got.
As a Creative Director, the most exciting part of my job is to create a story and build a moodboard from it. It’s like sending a letter to myself. Until I receive the final product that comes from my mind, I have the opportunity to witness the whole process since FAYE is a human-scaled company. I can interact at any moment during the development process. This is so exciting to me.
I’m doing my favorite thing: gathering photos and inspiration to build a strong and understandable moodboard for our partners. Our print designer starts to design the prints from my sketches while I get new fabric samples from our printing atelier in Como. I search for new materials, qualities, goods, and existing fabric as much as I can, giving solid importance to ethical and conscious business practices.
Within 3 months, I will receive the printed fabric, and I’ll need more than 185 days—yes, more than half a year—to finally have the first samples ready for Paris Fashion Week. Did I mention Paris? I will be writing about it soon in another article.
I’m very happy to be able to share this with you and provide insight into what it takes to work in the beautiful world of fashion. I’m thrilled and excited for you to be able to wear this new collection.
Remember, vacation is never over; let’s celebrate it together!
- Faye Ricchitelli