What are fashion designers wearing this spring? Whatever they dang please

As we enter the spring—the first in which COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency—many people are eager to get dressed up and go back out into the world.

Fashion designers are no different. Take Rebecca Minkoff, Clare Vivier, and Jessie Randall, the founders of eponymous fashion labels. Each of them designs clothing that reflects their own tastes and passions. And they’re constantly experimenting with their own personal style to help them determine the mood and aesthetic of their upcoming collection. We’ve asked each of them to document what they’re wearing these days and provide commentary about how fashion is evolving in the post-pandemic era.

Like everyone else, these designers spent the pandemic in sweats and yoga pants, as they managed their businesses from the living room table. Now, they’re hopping back into their social lives, jet-setting, and stepping back into the office, at least a few days a week. Understandably, the rules of dressing have changed.

In our conversations, each pointed out that there’s been a push to dress more boldly, as people use clothes as a visual language to express optimism. But there’s also been a distinct shift toward more comfortable clothing. Workplaces are relaxing their dress codes, with jeans replacing suits at even the most formal offices; women are ditching stilettos for flats and block heels. Each of these designers is now exploring what to wear in this brave new world where style and coziness are equally important.

Rebecca Minkoff

Founder and designer, Rebecca Minkoff

Rebecca Minkoff recently gave birth to her fourth child. She shared photos of what she was wearing during her pregnancy in the fall, as work and social events were picking up. “My goal has never been to hide or disguise my pregnancy bump,” she says. “In fact, I want to celebrate it!”

Minkoff has always gravitated toward an edgy aesthetic, which is the hallmark of the brand she launched in 2005. She veers toward leather jackets and tall black looks, inspired by vintage rock bands; but she adds a feminine twist, with jeweled handbags and glamorous faux fur jackets. She’s leaned into this look heavily in recent months, but she’s also prioritized comfort, particularly as she entered the later stages of her pregnancy. She frequently wears combat boots and stretchy dresses, with plenty of room to move.

This look works well with her new hybrid lifestyle. Before the pandemic, Minkoff and her team tended to keep more fixed hours at the office and design studio. But now she’s moving between working from home, the office, and on the road. “Ultimately, I always go for a look that is fun and fresh, but also provides versatility for whatever the day has in store,” she says. In her case, a sleek black look with a fun accessory that works in just about any context.

Jessie Randall

Founder and designer, Loeffler Randall

After months of staying grounded in New York, Jessie Randall is thrilled to be able to travel once more. But as she hops back on planes to visit new places, she’s particular focused on finding the right footwear. This makes sense: She’s best known as a shoe designer for her label Loeffler Randall, which she founded in 2004, although she’s now expanded into bags and clothing.

On a recent trip to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, she wore her brand’s Leonie ballet flats that are both chic and easy to walk in. “They are possibly my favorite pair of shoes right now,” she says. “I wear them with everything, as I love their shape. At the end of the day, my goal is to prioritize comfort but never sacrifice style.” For her, this means, “designing versatile and noncomplicated footwear styles.”

When it comes to outfits, Randall is now veering toward breezy silhouettes that stand out, but are also easy to wear. In Mexico, she wore airy cotton blouses with embroidery on the front, and long, flowy cotton dresses. “Soft basics and lightweight knits pack up nicely and save room in my luggage,” she says.

Randall has found that she wears a very similar look to the office these days. She likes tops with striking puffed sleeves, partly because so many meeting still happen on zoom, and a bold silhouette is a good way to make a visual statement. She’s finding that elevated tops are also good for the transitions between the office and evening events, which are happening more frequently now. “I like to wear something that can go quickly from day to evening, like an easy dress in a great shape, paired with velvet flats,” she says.

Clare Vivier

Founder and designer, Clare V.

Even during the thick of the pandemic, Clare Vivier refused to give up on fashion. “That didn’t feel right to me,” she says. “Getting dressed has been a form of self-expression for me for as long as I can remember.”

That said, she modifed her clothing considerably. She completely ditched heels, for example. And now that she is back out in the world, she finds that she is wearing some of the most comfortable shoes she can find, from chunky sneakers to sandals. “Covid definitely put the nail in the coffin on heels for me, and I will no longer attempt to wear them to work,” she says. “I can’t really stand it.”

Vivier is known for her hipster, vintage-inspired aesthetic, which plays out across her handbag brand, which she founded in 2006. Her everyday outfits have always been stylish, but in this new post-pandemic life, she’s even more eager to use her outfits to channel her creativity. In the morning, she thinks about the appointments she has for the day and who she’ll be seeing, then she looks for one piece of clothing that will inspire the entire outfit. “It can even be a pair of socks or a bag I want to carry, then I build my outfit around it,” she says.

This approach has led her to some fashion-forward looks, like a cotton floral printed suit or a retro denim skirt paired with bright red tights and a fuzzy black bomber jacket. Even when she wears a more traditional suit, Vivier picks distinct silhouettes, like bell-bottom trousers and extra-wide lapels on the blazer. As a handbag designer, Vivier thinks a lot about how her purse can add a twist to her look. An oversize fanny pack, for instance, can make a strong statement, or a handbag with large pearls on a handle. “I can always find a fun bag to wear that constantly adds newness,” she says.