“We have established codes, we know who we are and what we do,†says Reid Baker on Zoom from Viana do Castelo, Portugal. “It’s not a collection that defines the season, it’s more of a collection that refines the season.” Despite only being four years into their business, Baker and Inês Amorim made their boyfriend Ernest W. Baker clear: flared pants, sultry suits, and some sort of punky-sleazy spirit.
For spring 2022, they are adding to the emotionality of their offer. The first look, a red brocade double-breasted suit, is one they describe as “roses rained in the fabric.” It’s as if the red petals have bled into the material. The floral design is carried in a large leather gardener’s bag and hand-crocheted flowers on small, cheesy sweater vests. A gold tooth necklace is taken from a Portuguese tradition where a mother wears the first tooth her child loses as a necklace. Even though they want you to wear knee-length shorts with cowboy boots – a look that’s both quirky and kinky – you can’t shake the wholesomeness of their brand.
Although they are adamant that they are only doing business as usual but better, there is also a lot of new stuff. A cobalt tracksuit and another in caramel leather are what Baker and Amorim call “grandfather’s athleisure”. A long, plaid jacket is unshakably elegant, and they made Mary Jane sneakers in black checked gingham as well as white / black derbies with a slight platform. The lapels of their long vests are dotted with hand-painted ceramic pins and roses are laser-etched into jeans – there’s a lot of soul here and a lot of marketability too.
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