The day after last Paris Fashion Week, Merryl Rogge jumped on a plane to Los Angeles. The relaxed vibe there inspired her latest collection, which cleverly plays with the contrast of innocent Americana, all opportunity and sunny positivity against the tightly wound political atmosphere.
The result is an homage to the ideal with a dash of reality courtesy of artist Beni Bischof, whose work uses distorted images of Bambi, Rambo and other iconic characters and motifs to gently poke at our media obsessions. He collaborated with Rogge this season on some one-of-a-kind pieces, including an American flag suit with googley eyes, and painted jeans that have buyers chomping at the bit.
Pieces range from jackets with gentle pleating at the back, double-waisted work pants and jock socks reinterpreted as bright pink thigh highs. Rogge plays with sporty codes on oversize knitwear and dresses and tops that lace up the front, football style.
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A coat with the lining on the outside is a standout, in bright sky blue with a large exterior label — “Made on Earth by Humans” — intended as a gentle reminder of all the work that goes into many of her hand-sewn pieces.
That’s also evident in her more structured pieces — full-length gowns with couture-like craftsmanship, including a white column backed by a buoyant bow. Rogge has an eye for subversive detail that keeps the collection fun and fresh.