When talking about classic women’s clothing that is tailored but with a trendy edge the name J.Crew always comes to mind. They have proven time and time again that when it comes to women’s clothing they know their stuff. One of the people behind the hugely successful designs of J.Crew has been a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate who has been with the company for over ten years. Her name is Marissa Webb, the head of womenswear design. Her love for structured pieces and fearlessness of color has played a major role in J.Crew’s flourishing image and has left us waiting on the edge of our seats every month for the J.Crew catalog.
Unfortunately for J.Crew but tremendously lucky for the rest of the world, Ms. Webb has broken away from the J.Crew family to create her own self named label. Spring 2013 Fashion Week marked the official launch and unveiling of the Marissa Webb line. The first collection has created a hugely positive buzz during the New York Fashion Week. Looks like Marissa Webb is the hot new designer on Fashion Avenue.
In a recent interview with Daily Front Row the Korean born designer describes herself as a workaholic and a risk taker who loves challenges. Going from the corporate world to being her own boss may have been Marissa’s biggest challenge yet but thanks to her industry experience and the backing of a great team, including her brother and sister, Marissa was able to come out on top. Webb is being financially backed by Bedrock Manufacturing, a private investment firm. So far it is proving to be a great match.
In her collection Webb demonstrates a clash between feminine romantic and structured masculine styles. The staple pieces in her collection are skinny jeans, silk dresses, structured blazers, and tie-neck blouses. Tailored clean cut pieces are mixed with soft weightless fabrics which create an element of surprise. A fun playful edge is implemented throughout the collection with leather pieces and splashes of bright colors. Without a doubt you can see a little bit of J.Crew in Webb’s collection but it’s understandable that after so many years lot of Marissa’s self has been imprinted in the retail giant’s image, but now we get to see the whole picture. This is Marissa not holding back and we love every minute of it!
The downside is that unlike J.Crew, Webb’s collection is not as affordable as most would like. Her clothing retails from $125 to $1,500, but after seeing the impeccable quality and elements of design some may not mind the splurge. The Marissa Webb woman is ageless, confident, independent, and knows what she wants. At least this is what Marissa describes her as, and after reviewing the collection I have to agree.