This season Velez imagined the tempteresses luring the unsuspecting into the dark or the deep falling into three into three distinct types, which she described in a pre-show interview. They are rhe Captain’s Daughter, representing “the more demure and virginal [woman], the kind of ethereal and sweet moments that we have in the brand.” The Land Walker, an “anti-Disney Ursula when she assumes Ariel’s voice and comes to the land to lure the sailor to the depths.” And the Leech, who Velez describes as being “anti immoral—just totally detached from the theory of ethics in total— [who] is this sort of viscous, oozy substance that is almost this incubative, but also corrosive, element that all of us have within us that can kind of build and protect and insulate, but also erode and digest and break down.” It wasn’t all that evident which model fell into what category, which suggested that these types could also be understood as character traits that form a composite view of womanhood.
Some of the promise of Velez’s early work resurfaced as the designer focused on clothes and reinforced the autobiographical elements of her story—Velez’s mother is a ship captain. Certainly there was more range in the offering, saving it from falling into steampunk territory. Among the highlights was a black strapless minidress trimmed with white ruffles resembling sea foam, had an asymmetric hem, as if it had been pushed aside by a wave. A long, dark algae green knit dress had a simple elegance, while a check jacket worn with army-green pants worn open to reveal undergarments; ditto the off the shoulder knit secured with a corselet and worn with a side-split black skirt. Also memorable were the pirate’s paper bag waisted pants. Ropes, netting, and metal hardware spoke to the nautical theme, and latex-dipped fabric created a wet-look. Keys hanging from a corset with hardware fastenings glistened like sunken treasure.
The last time I was at Artechhouse was for an event celebrating a successful Japanese anime series about a fictional band of “good” pirates searching for a treasure called the One Piece, from which the series takes its name. It seems worth mentioning not only because pirates and sirens share the same waters, but because it feels like Velez has taken a renegade’s approach to fashion. This season, however, she seemed more inclined to sail with the fleet. She spoke about developing more “commercial” pieces, which might be understood as material manifestations of her desire to create “something that feels radically centrist”—an approach that seems far from Velez’s usual wheelhouse, especially as the brand, at this point the brand, is rather niche. It seems that Velez, like Luffy, the hero of One Piece, still hasn’t found what she’s searching for. “I think that I have a broader conceptual project that I’m trying to decipher and understand myself and kind of navigate the industry and figure out where there’s space for me and where my values align,” said the designer whose journey continues toward a yet unknown destination.
