At the start of the month, news arrived that Kanye had launched a talent incubator to help emerging designers, both financially and in terms of mentorship. Parsons graduate turned Yeezy designer, Maisie Schloss, was the first beneficiary of the grant, and now she's debuted her label's first collection in Los Angeles. “I had the pleasure of working with Kanye for a number of years,” Schloss told the Los Angeles Times before the presentation, “and when he approached me about this partnership, I was absolutely floored. It’s a dream come true.”
The pre-fall 2020 collection (previewed on Complex) delivers body-con silhouettes, an assortment of multicolor printed garments, and a cohesive range of knitwear that includes both evening dresses, as well as daytime streetwear. The avante-garde, but still wearable aesthetic the Chicago-born designer managed to capture really showcases the knowledge she acquired while working for Kanye's label. However, that's not to say that West's arrival at the presentation took centre stage. During West's arrival to the debut on Wednesday, he let his mentee have all the spotlight, delivering only a brief statement to all those in attendance. "Maisie has always had a strong perspective, and we’re truly pleased with her first collection."
Schloss drew inspiration from gymnastics costumes and robotics, which is evident in the stretch material and slim-fitting silhouettes that run through her first collection. “The fabric can be printed beautifully. I was looking at gymnastics costumes, and the cut-outs that they have, which look so gestural on the body. And I was also looking at pictures of robotics," she told Vogue. “I think gymnastics and robots mirror my work well, in that I am systematic and regimented in how I operate, but the outcome looks organic.”
