Some brands have a stealth like way of wooing you. You don’t remember seeing an ad, or receiving an email from them, yet they’ve caught your attention. I was thinking that as I took my seat at Scotch & Soda’s debut presentation during New York Fashion Week. The pre-show din hushed once the pianist started to play. Celestial maps were then projected onto screens, setting the surreal mood for the wanderlust-inspired collection. Instead of on a runway, the models appeared in boxed vignettes high above us. The fashions, which included references from China, Norway, Tibet and Scotland, were folkish-boho with a clever twist of street. The highlights – silken pyjamas, sequined and embroidered bomber jackets, shrunken velvet suits, fringed tunics, lush kimonos and ponchos – were masterfully styled. Marlou van Engelen, the Amsterdam-based creative director, said the collection reflects the brand’s love affair with the world. She added, “We add some flavours, what we call the ‘magic sparkle.’” In other words, the perfect looks for nomadic sartorial spirits. 

 

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Zinc-alloy and brass earrings ($49), scotch-soda.com

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Polyester and elastane skirt ($159), scotch-soda.com.  

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Polyester and metallic jacket ($399), scotch-soda.com