Coming in like a Timothy Leary fever dream, Story MFG’s SS19 “Sage Tea” Collection, shot by Max Barnett, is what I assume would happen if a kaleidoscope messed around and designed a line. But Story has bars, so this one’s got bars.
Apparently inspired by something called Loess peoples*—who, according to Story’s website, were a mythic band of psychedelic-downing nomads that got forced underground in the ‘60s, mostly because Burners’ spiritual ancestors wouldn’t stop looking for them—the collection is full of loose, airy silhouettes, flashback-inducing pattern work and a color palette that would make Skittles blush.
(*I Googled “loess peoples,” “loess,” “loess nomads” and “what is a loess,” which is my version of getting a doctorate on the subject, and I found nothing. I’m not saying Story made up the Loess peoples but I am saying that more companies should make up fictional nomadic tribes to reference.)
Anything stand out, specifically? Glad you asked, not a robot that found all six boxes with a traffic light. There’s a burnt orange matching set that’s gonna snap some necks; the Needles-esque white pants are basically an all-inclusive resort vacation with front pleats, and the white short-shirt set with the less-than-legal motifs might be trouble too.
And about those colors: Story was thoughtful enough to use organic plant dyes to render them, which they made from Babul tree bark (brown), Madder (red), fermented indigo, iron (black), Sappan wood (bright pink) and jackfruit heartwood (yellow).
Available from $60 at Mr. Porter.
