If anyone does quirky fashion right, it has to be New York designer, Rachel Antonoff. Not only are all of her prints created by artists who hand-paint them, but she opts for something unexpected when she bring sit to high fashion—think of snake dresses, broccoli dresses or even a swimsuit covered in prawns.
It’s what the designer calls “eccentric elegance,” and it’s easy to see why. Over the past 15 years, the designer has brought unexpected looks to fashion. It feels retro, it’s all about vintage-style prints, but with a modern touch (meaning, you an actually wear it in your everyday). Her clothing bridges classy with casual wear in a way were its rarely done.
Antonoff celebrated her brand’s 15th anniversary at Noodle Pudding in Brooklyn, an Italian restaurant that featured food creations by food artist Jen Monroe of Bad Taste, who even made a house made of lettuce, paying homage to the “house salad.” There was a spaghetti and meatball tower, a community of cheese houses and a sloppy birthday cake that looked like something out of a John Waters film.
The event was low key and high profile at the same time, with guests like Jack Antonoff, Dylan O’Brien, Beanie Feldstein, Busy Phillips, B.J. Novak, Sabrina Carpenter, Barry Keoghan, Lauren Graham and more.
It’s been called an “Alice in Wonderland meets Lady and the Tramp” style event, but with an indie rock flair. As Negronis and martinis spilled out the restaurant, guests were given white t-shirts that said “I lost my virginity at Rachel Antonoff’s 15th anniversary party,” among other slogans that are too dirty to write here.
Up and coming musician Claud performed alongside Rick Antonoff (Rachel Antonoff’s father) for a few songs, including a Beatles cover.
Antonoff launched her brand in 2008, and never looked back. In a way, there’s something essentially Brooklyn about the brand’s spirit. It’s sophisticated and yet fun, much like an aging Williamsburg. There are nods to pop culture, and the brand is partly defined by its prints, which you can’t find anywhere else. There are many food prints, too, as Antonoff has designed clothing inspired by key lime pie, bowtie pasta, and a seafood tower, among many others.
To sum it up, it’s almost as if Toiletpaper magazine met up with a more affordable Viktor & Rolf artiness. Her quirky brand has collaborated with everyone from Archie Comics to Keds, adding to its nostalgia factor. Here’s to 15 more years.