Kelly Lane’s surefire attention-getters will never fly with shrinking violets—her voracity for retina-scorching colors (burnt orange, cobalt blue, emerald green) are guaranteed to send wallflowers into a tailspin. The former graphic designer’s eponymous collection, appropriately dubbed “Clothing With Color,” draws heavily from her childhood in North Carolina, where color was an abundant part of her personal and physical landscape.
HORSING AROUND
Inspired by the colorful whimsy of carousels, Lane’s Fall/Winter 2009 collection began with a moment of serendipity: An intern who mentioned that her grandfather carves life-size carousel horses. Lane threw herself into the history and art of carousels soon after. “Since the focus of my collection is on interesting uses of color,” she tells Ecouterre, “this was a match made in heaven.”
Kelly Lane’s Fall/Winter 2009 collection was inspired by the colorful whimsy of carousels.
“Carousel,” which is made locally in Pittsburgh, weaves its own brand of enchantment, taking its pick of sustainable fabrics (certified-organic cotton, soy, hemp, Tencel) that have been colored with low-impact dyes.
To ward off the winter doldrums, don the Merry-Go-Round A-line dress, which features rhythmic bars of color across one side like the poles of the carousel. Or pull on the Painted Pony dress, which includes a gathered floral skirt that recalls the flower wreaths around the necks of horses. Another favorite is the Trot Top, a darling turtleneck with a vertical, mane-like ruffle that Lane has framed with a contrasting trim.
Kelly Lane is a brilliant designer. Quite a few of her dresses hang in my closet including the Harness and the Side Saddle. She is wonderful to work with and a real asset to Pittsburgh.
Indeed, we here at Jute and Jackfruit are HUGE fans of Kelly Lane, which is why she is one of our core designers. She is one of the few eco-designers out there that consistently uses bold colors with stunning, wearable designs. If you are interested in any of the pieces mentioned in this artcile, come check out our online eco-boutique at http://www.juteandjackfruit.com. There are still some great dresses available for the holidays.