Stephanie Beard Shares the Vision Behind Esby’s Newest Spring/Summer Collection
Esby, the Austin-based clothing brand with a devoted (ask any cool girl) following has much to celebrate. On March 10, Esby founder and designer, Stephanie Beard, along with her team, debuted the line’s new spring/summer collection, inspired by the colors and silhouettes of Todos Santos, Mexico.
Esby’s Spring/Summer ’19 collection (and 5th birthday!) was celebrated on the grounds of Big Red Sun. After the runway show guests gathered for a full day of activities.And while the effortlessly elegant runway show (held at Big Red Sun) was reason enough to gather, the day – coined Esby Fest – was also a celebration of the brand’s fifth anniversary, complete with panels, workshops and live music. After seeing the sun-bleached collection, marked by body positive silhouettes that manage to feel both feminine and universal, we had to know more about Beard’s inspiration for the pieces, and her memories of the day.
Take it away Stephanie…
Model Kim Van Dageraad (right) wearing the Savannah jumpsuit.“Our inspiration for the collection was a mix of the emotions we felt in Todos Santos and also specific details. The color palette was inspired by all the sand-washed and salty colors…spending days by the pool, then heading steps away to the beautiful restaurant Benno . That inspired us to create silhouettes that move with you from casual to dressy in minutes. Our fabrics have always been all natural, but this setting heightened our use of lightweight linens and textured cottons.”
Known for their American made denim, linen and cotton, model Riley Blanks (middle) is wearing the new Monet wrap dress.“My first time to Todos Santos was in 2017, right after Hotel San Cristóbal opened. My husband and I went there to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. We split our time between lazily enjoying cocktails and mountain biking the sandy hills into downtown. My most memorable experience from the trip was adopting our dog through the hotel. We named him Bruno after a dog that lived on the property at the time. Our little guy is now two, and we love having that constant reminder of our time there.”
Linen and knit separates are designed to transition from day to night, like this Margot cross one-piece and Lucy linen sweater (right).“I was excited to go back there for work when we launched our second swimwear collection. These pieces are made from recycled water bottles in hues reminiscent of the sunsets. Poolside at the same hotel was the perfect spot to debut our swimwear line. This is the trip that inspired our spring/summer ’19 collection.”
Esby’s black washed denim is made from 100% cotton cone mills denim.“This collection has a broad silhouette base that’s larger than where we’ve been in the past. We really used information from what our customer is buying and took it to the next level. We didn’t play it as safe as we usually do and went for some more exciting and detailed silhouettes.”
“Being able to throw a fashion show, host Q & A panels, as well as entertain with live music all in one day was so rewarding. The most fun moment was right after the show – when we realize all this hard work by so many people actually produced a beautiful experience for so many to enjoy. Lots of nervous and exciting feelings are happening pre-show, so to being able to pull it all off was a wonderful feeling.”