I’m in a weird place with my summer wardrobe. More and more my tastes and habits run towards simple, easy, no-nonsense picks. It’s as though my brain is so preoccupied with everything else I have going on (meetings! photo shoots! emails! pet snuggles! more emails! even more pet snuggles!) that the last thing it wants to do is comb through my closet for creative outfits. That’s why I’m increasingly drawn to pieces that stand on their own as beautifully designed, carefully constructed statement makers, but that also play nicely with everything else I own. Stumbling on a label in which every dress, top, and pant fits that description is like winning the lottery—and discovering First Rite Clothing felt like taking home the MegaMillions!
First Rite was started in 2015 by San Francisco designer Nikki Garcia. Each season’s collection puts the focus on elegantly minimalist and eminently wearable silhouettes that strike a balance between the masculine and feminine (think 1940’s Katherine Hepburn with a side of 70’s Jackie O. and a dash of 21st-century Celine). Palettes are subdued and earthy, and shapes are cut according to comfort as well as style. Best of all, everything can be mixed and matched without a second thought, and every combination is a stunner. Summer uniform, come to mama!
Photos: First Rite Clothing.