Can lightning be trapped in a bottle twice? With Monse, you might just be able to.
Deconstructed khaki vests kicked off Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia’s spring runway on Saturday night.
This wasn’t just any vest, it was a sleeveless version of the Resort 2025 Criss Cross Jacket that Michelle Obama wore on the second day of the Democratic National Convention, which caused the internet and Monse’s sales to explode.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama arrives on stage to speak during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 20, 2024 in Chicago.
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“It was a miracle. It was symbolic,” Monse’s CEO Aisha Ahmad, who joined the company this summer, told WWD backstage, without confirming the rumored megawatt sales figures. “Michelle Obama, her speech — she’s here to fight. I think it was a combination of the crest, the sharpness of her jacket and the fact that the DNC was about Kamala and her energy. So it was a miracle. A lot of things just clicked together, and it happened. Sales went up tremendously. In fact, I was working the night shift answering customer service emails while watching the DNC.”
“It was the most shocking moment of our careers,” Garcia added. “It was a development unlike anything we’d ever experienced before, and it led to some very important business for us.”
Back on the runway, the chic top was styled over a white lace-trimmed shirtdress, teamed with a football-style handbag and boat shoes, echoing the “back to school” spirit of the collection as a whole.
“You know, Taylor Swift is always on our minds as an Oscar nominee. It’s kind of a mix of rugby, football and a little bit of hot stripes. It’s back to school, Monse-esque,” Garcia said.
Throughout the collection, the duo mixed traditional American sportswear with a cheeky schoolgirl twist and evolved versions of their signature Monseism: high-waisted trousers in denim and chocolate gabardine, reworked tailoring and shirts with double layers at the sleeves, hems and necklines, deconstructed seam rugby, floaty car-wash skirts and layered, chevron-cut satin and lace slip dresses that tick all the boxes.
Sporty striped polo shirts with pastel sequins offered a fresh take on on-trend preppy style, as did unique varsity jackets.
“We’re talking about possibly opening a store soon so we can have our own unique product line. We’d love to do more, but we’re only showing a little bit so far,” Kim said of her reused and recycled vintage style and its retail potential.
“I love this,” exclaimed actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish as a stunning selection of sequined evening gowns went by, before playfully (and hilariously) rising from her seat to walk around the runway herself before the finale.
