meet Georgine Ratelband of GEORGINE..

Her name is Georgine Ratelband... and not coincidentally the name of her brand is Georgine. From the very first moment I saw her collection about 18 months ago, there was no question in my mind that she was one to watch and so I watched and I waited.

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting her in her living/working space and it solidified my gut feelings about her brand even after not being over the moon about her last collection. The brand is in its nascent stages and she is one of those designers who seem to be lucky enough to take her time and plot her trajectory as well her eventual full-fledged entry into the world of international fashion.

At any rate, there is something about what she creates that evokes thoughts in me of Helmut Newton and Chris von Wangenheim and the heady days when fashion really was fashion and photographers told stories with their images while designers designed clothes for women to wear and oh yeah, fashion magazines were bibles for readers and followers of fashion. She possesses sophistication and a sense of style that belies her young age and it very much exposes itself on the runway.

Without any question, there is a big 70s influence and a bit of film noir here but without any doubt, she manages to massage those influences into present day creations. There is nothing that smarts of looking dated or of the literal translation school that so many designers think is okay. Georgine is about chic and soigné and not about trendoid, in other words there is a polish here and a developing signature. In a sense one might say there is something Halstonesque about what she does and maybe there is something that reminds me of how Michael Kors started but not in his present iteration.

After my visit, we decided that she should speak for herself and so she has right here. It is my pleasure to provide a chat with the eponymous designer while she speaks of her life and brand. Please meet her .. and remember … “I told you so !”

1-How did you get involved in fashion?  What drove you?

As a child I was always naturally inclined to put an emphasis on style and attention to detail. I was always creating; whether that was painting, drawing, re-organizing my room, making scrapbooks or dressing my Barbie’s.  I kind of made my own personal world of self-expressionism and I did it all for myself. When it came time to selecting a career, I wasn’t really good at math so I decided to invest in a creative career.  Ha!

2- You have successfully mined the 70’s in your collections... any reason why you chose that decade and will you continue?

The 70’s are an amazing era as they represent so many things. I am always enamored by the women of that time. They loved to dress up and have fun! I love powerful, strong, sexy and sophisticated women. But it is very important for me to translate that seventies feeling into something that is modern and speaks to women of today.

3-where do you see yourself and your brand in 5 years? If you had a wish list what would be on it?

-       Expand our wholesale business and see GEORGINE in luxury multi-brand boutiques and department stores such as Bergdorf, Barneys, Kirna Zabete, Capitol, etc.

-       Build a dynamic and energetic team -  Being featured in major publications monthly - CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund - Get another puppy

4-if you could invite 5 people to dinner ... anyone at all... who would be there and why?

Marlene Dietrich for a million reasons … Diana Vreeland for her attention to detail and inspirational words … Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele … Eleanor Roosevelt for being such a powerful and prestigious woman … Andre Leon Talley – need I say more?

5-what are you r feeling about fashion as a business at the present time? How do you think it could be improved?

The fashion industry is huge and filled with some of the most interesting, influential and passionate individuals.   It is interesting to see how the industry is changing due to the e-commerce. Besides building a brand and an image as a designer today you also have to think about how your clothes will look online. Majority of customers are shopping more online and the world is becoming very small. that said, I think that as everything is so fast paced, a personal and old world touch is appreciated and goes a long way which is what our private clients relate to.

6- who or what are your style/fashion icons or mentors?  And why?

All my friends who I think have great style. They are all different ages, different body sizes, and different backgrounds.  They are people with character and it is all about individuality. All of them combine the perfect balance of individual style.  It is women that have jobs, kids…  I look at them as my muses.

7-if you could choose to collaboration with any designer, past or present, who would you select and why?

 I would love to collaborate with Karl Lagerfeld. He is such a genius and would love to spend time with him to see how his mind works plus I take it he has a good sense of humor!

Georgine .. spring 2015

What I love about this collection is that there is a discernible theme and that anyone who has a knowledge about fashion, style, movies and photography can see this in an instant. Ms. Ratelband recalls days gone and places that might have lost some of their luster by now but the collection remains filled with glamorous references and a mood that makes one dream of what might be or what has been .

No question this is To Catch a Thief, Talitha Getty, Cap d’Antibes, Cole Porter, the Hotel du Cap and the Croisette. From the ethereal chiffons to liquid gold to the wrapped and turbaned heads, one can imagine what life would have been like or what it might be like if you participated in this lifestyle. There is a louche quality about the clothes as well as yes, a retro side to them, but they are very much of this moment and not vulgar in the least. One can almost see Grace Kelly in them and yet one might also imagine what Helmut Newton or Diana Vreeland would have done with them.

Here’s my conundrum, there is very little that says this is a full collection other than the resort/beach wear. Yes, no question, there are some exquisite pieces that could hang with the best of them but the inspiration has sort of taken over and left the merchandising in the dust. It is understandable when a collection like takes shape and takes on a life of its own. It would have been divine if Ms. Ratelband had added some short dress, whether dressy or day, and for sure it would have really put this collection over the top if there were some evening pieces to be sisters to the superb caftans.

Bottom line is that there is a huge soigne and sophisticated thread that binds the Georgine collections together, but now they need to be a continuing story rather than isolated instances, if you catch my drift… a cohesive quality! The collections should look resemble each as in recognizable and there is great potential for that to happen if the merchandising is harnessed properly. This is a designer to keep your eye on as her moment is coming sooner than later.

Fall 2014 .. New York Collections .. Georgine

Every season I am lucky enough to be invited to many designer presentations. Every season I am excited to be invited to those who are making their freshman or sophomore outings in the world of fashion. Last evening, at the Georgine fall 2014, my attendance was rewarded with a collection that is “pregnant with possibilities” as the saying goes!

photo by Andrew Werner

This young designer shows us that even the young can have old souls. By no means is this meant to be derogatory, on the contrary, it is a great compliment as she sees a fashion that is steeped in the greatness of fashion and how great fashion was achieved. Georgine (surname unknown) has found love in the construction, fabrication and a great sense of style history. The collection demonstrates influences and inspirations that do not necessarily require verbiage but they do require intelligence and knowledge. THAT is quite refreshing in times when designers think that words define clothes and justify them.

photo Andrew Werner

With all this said, Georgine demonstrated a level of sophistication and fashion heritage that is not often recognized since most reviews are without a basis of fashion knowledge. It was not difficult to see the quality of the fabric or the influences given the styling (simple pump, gloves, hats) that was used. There was a luxe quality and a very slick vibe going on but my eyes were distracted with minor flaws which always seem to hypnotize me. The absence of a belt hiding a waist seam, the wrinkle in a hem or seam, the tightness of a garment are all things that unfortunately I see and most don’t when viewing a collection. (Even though, this past weekend I was accused of having an untrained and insensitive eye)...BITE ME!

The bottom line is simply, I see a future here and a future that will produce beautifully made and executed clothes that will defy the trends heralded by so many. It would be so great if the pundits of fashion were more concerned with fashion and style rather than trend and advertising dollars, I live in hope so I thank Georgine in helping to “join the charge.”