R13

Grandma grunge: Is it trending? It certainly is in Chris Leba’s high-volume, energetic world, and it was how he described the aesthetic mood for the season.

With every collection, Leba has worked toward expressing his idea of what American fashion represents. He’ll take a subset of American culture, whether aligned with punk’s antiestablishment nature or not, and filter it through R13’s brand of urban glam and subversive tailoring. His creative fall show marked the culmination of his efforts so far; the lineup overflowed with high fashion and grunge elements. It was a master class on layering and seamless pattern play that never once felt excessive or forced. Quite the opposite; you could easily imagine it’s how cool young girls want to, or already do, dress.

Backstage before the show, Leba spoke of the collection’s grounded beginnings:

“I was down in Austin and I went to this amazing thrift shop with brooches and things from so many different decades. Just as an idea, [I thought] wouldn’t it be cool if we did a collection out of things only in this thrift shop?”

He processed a lot of ideas and details through R13’s core of suiting, tweeds, plaids and rock 'n' roll. Big, enveloping plaid and leopard coats were akin to what you might find in your grandma’s closet; not quite your size, but hey, it’s cool and you make it work. The same concept applied to baggy trousers, which Leba sent out with dropped waists and crossover closures. He maximized the brooches onto lapels and sent out oversized knits that felt like they’d already lived through another life. There was a touchstone of reality and accessibility because you could actually do it yourself.

Furry leopard pants were inspired by Kurt Cobain’s style, as was a necklace of Barbie doll heads mirroring one he once wore. Tight or soft layers of leopard, floral and graphic tees juxtaposed the big outerwear, and floral leggings matched combat boots for a streamlined look. At times, it was all confidently mixed together. He can build a look with multiple layers of differing prints for an overall effect of minimal effort. He ended by saying:

“In a funny way, it’s all one look.”