Wearing plaid is one of Sam Linder’s personal wardrobe M.O.s, so it was no surprise when Kirk Millar, business- and men’s wear counterpart to the Linder brand, urged the designer to add his own sensibility more prominently into the collection. The result ended in the line’s most evolved collection, full of plaid for women.
Linder mixed athletic pieces — spandex cycling shorts or leggings and lightweight nylon trench coats — with utility, also adding in juxtaposed hints of prep meets punk. For instance, a cropped and woven tartan polo and cycling shorts were worn under workwear-inspired denim pants with seams that were curved to slim the body, and wooden sole sandals. There was also “a denim pairing in undyed natural cotton with green contrast stitch,” Linder explained over the intercom. (In place of music, the designer explained each look in detail, from fabric to idea; while it might have seemed monotonous, it explained even the tiniest details.) The tartan spandex layers were styled under multiple silhouettes, from cotton and linen twill boxy blazers to a navy shirt dress, but also felt strong when worn alone. All in all, the collection felt grown up and relatable, but still artful and fresh.