By Edwardo Flores for Global Fashion News
Casa Stellina’s luscious courtyard garden was a natural setting for Ashlee Brooks Resort 2014 presentation. Models placed inside an enormous three-dimensional 10 ft. chromed cube or casually sauntering around informally in the serene manicured garden set the stage for an ethereal show that radiated optimism and beauty through delicate hand tailored frocks.
Brooks presented a collection of 16 looks, featuring silhouettes that had a sense of ease in silk, crépe, and light weight or coat weight structured wools paired with luxurious accessories and jewelry by Amanda Sterrett. A neutral palette enhanced the season’s effortless appeal with a gradient palette of whites and blush nudes and pinks complemented by an icy blue hue. A focus on natural fabrics like worsted and double face wool, cotton, and luxurious silks and crepe served as a mainstay for the designer’s alluring creations.
As misleadingly simple as it looked, it was all presumably very complex in the construction which remained assured and confident and rich in contrast and surprise. Such was the case with a seductive nude cocktail dress rendered in a body-conscious silhouette. It was beautifully embellished with a bullion of crystals and lace appliqué at the bodice, and on the edges of the daring scoop back. Other lovely skirts and dresses featured impressive inverted knife-pleats or softly draped folds to create volume. The mood of the collection was best conveyed by an ice blue, knife-pleated 50’s style skirt paired with a nude silk blouse. A favorite was an impossibly chic wool capelet in ice blue to wear over practically everything and an A-line dress in the same color with sunburst pleats emanating form the waistline. The dress and cape illustrate the perfect mix of polish and demure, yet is still surprisingly dramatic for day.
“Ashlee Brooks describes how she has always dreamed of having her own business creating clothes that are elegant and easy to wear. As a child I used crayons to draw clothes on everything, including the walls of my bedroom,” explained the designer. After many years of hard work and planning, Ashlee’s dreams are now becoming a reality. What makes Ashlee Brooks’ designs so intriguing is their simple beauty and wearability. The designer possesses all the important assets to make it in fashion: an infinitely creative mind and real business savvy, not to mention a charming personality. With this kind of repertoire under her belt, Ashlee Brooks has what it takes to make it into fashion’s big leagues.
Q & A with Ashlee Brooks
Ever wonder what sparks the creative mind and imagination of a fashion designer? Then look no further as we speak with Ashlee Brooks about her latest Resort 2014 collection. Ashlee gives us an inside look into the creative process she underwent to bring her latest collection to life.
Ashlee Brooks, is a Texas native and Baylor University graduate, where she studied Fashion Design and Business Administration. While at Baylor, she not only mastered design and pattern making, but also gained an ample background in business management. More recently, Brooks was a finalist on the national reality TV show, Fashion Star, and first place runner-up in the Texas Next Top Designer 2011 Competition.
Brooks recently took her talents westward to Los Angeles and debuted her fall/winter 2012 collection at LA Fashion Week, where she was hailed as one of “the designers to watch.”
E.F. What’s the mission or purpose of Ashlee Brooks Collection?
A.B. “My mission is to create beautiful, effortless clothes in high quality luxury fabrics that encompass all facets of a woman’s life, from work to play to a special evening out on the town.” I’m particularly fond of natural fabrics like washed silks and breathable natural cotton and wool. I try to be as eco-friendly as possible when selecting fabrics.
E.F. Why a career in fashion?
A.B. I love the expressive power of fashion. It’s a creative way for people to define, and express their roles in the world they live in. I find deep satisfaction in the power fashion has to transform an individual. You can be a woman in a completely unglamorous profession by day and step into a dress that instantly lifts you up and makes you feel like a whole different person in a completely new world.
E.F. What inspired you to create such a lovely and whimsical collection?
A.B. I lost a very dear and close personal friend last year, and the tragedy of her death affected me deeply. I went through a long period of great darkness and mourning as I tried to make sense of what happened and find a way to work through my feelings. It took some time for me to shed the sadness, but after a while the icy, dark exterior started to melt away and from that came this new found growth. Getting rid of all the sadness and anger over what happened gave me the freedom to create a new lightness and joy and these clothes reflect that transformation.
