Designer Q&A: Shipley & Halmos

I’ve had the pleasure of viewing way too many spring lookbooks lately, and it’s got me having Tahiti fever. Le sigh. Considering winter hasn’t even begun, I will just have to be satisfied with these beautiful photos for now. I’m absolutely crushing on the Shipley & Halmos Spring/Summer 2011 Collection, and was lucky enough to have the chance to ask designers Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos all about it! I can’t wait to buy the entire collection (um, D.’s not reading this, right?)!

I Heart Heels: I love how the pieces in this collection can be both modern and classic. Do you think this is the essence of Shipley & Halmos every season, or is this something you’ve only tried to obtain with this collection?
Shipley & Halmos: Absolutely. Our brand is the juxtaposition of the two. We’re not typical fashion designers, so a lot of what inspires us is design from all over that has that quality of modern and classic.

IHH: The floral print is obviously more modern, so what would you say to a woman who generally shies away from wearing prints like this? Can anyone wear it?
SH: The floral print actually came from our love of New Order’s album cover for Power, Corruption, and Lies. The contrast of that classic oil painting of the bouquet and the graphic color blocks on the side was definitely a reference point for the season. It’s a very “spring” print and a lot of women look great in it.

IHH: Loving all of the stripes! How exactly did they fit in with your vision for this collection?
SH: In terms of design, they have a graphic component that’s really interesting, but they’re also something a lot of people look good in and can make unique in their own wardrobe.

IHH: The color palette is playful…is this how you envision the Shipley & Halmos woman for spring? Who exactly is she?
SH: For spring, our woman is active and needs a wardrobe that’s easier to wear, but still feels light and feminine. There are a variety of shirt dresses, wax cotton parkas, interchangeable separates like shorts, blouses, printed skirts and delicate knits.

IHH: What is it about the varsity jacket you love so much?
SH: It’s a classic American staple like a denim jacket. It never seems to go out of style and we try to make it a little more modern with details like the black-on-black version we did for Fall 2010, or perforated leather sleeves like we did for Spring 2011.

IHH: You’ve mentioned in the past, it’s all about the details. What are some of the smaller details in this collection that you love?
SH: For menswear, we maintain a lot of the same shapes and silhouettes from season to season so that our guy knows our fit and knows that if he wants a button-down shirt or a two-button blazer to fit a certain way, he can come to Shipley & Halmos. Those details are difficult to produce, but that’s what’s great about introducing something new each season – that you can add to what seems familiar.

IHH: I have to ask. Would you ever design shoes?
SH: Yes, that’s definitely something we’re interested in for the future. It’s so hard to find well-designed men’s shoes that don’t look too casual or too dressy. There are brands that we really respect that do make shoes we wear and hopefully we can offer something like that to our guy.

Editor’s Note: The shirtdresses are our faaaaaavorite! xoxo




[Photos Courtesy Shipley & Halmos]