full look. Daniel Gregory Natale SS19
It is Daniel Gregory Natale’s singular creative vision that sets him apart in the industry and led to his immense critical acclaim and commercial success so quickly after graduating from Parsons. In 2016, Natale was named one of the top ten promising young designers to watch by The New York Times. That same year, his collection was picked up by Selfridge’s flagship Oxford Street store in London and was displayed alongside globally recognizable and esteemed brands such as Prada, Balenciaga, Chanel, and Gucci, a significant global achievement for a designer. The first collection was a tremendous commercial success and quickly sold out, and in the years since Natale has maintained a strong successful brand and relationship with the retailer, where his line continues to be stocked. Today, Natale is focused on responding to increasing international customer demand. His line is now sold by Rare Market (one of South Korea’s most popular fashion boutiques), H Lorenzo in Los Angeles and his 2019 collection was recently profiled at the Hudson Bay Company’s flagship store in his native Toronto, Canada.
full look. Daniel Gregory Natale SS19
full look. Daniel Gregory Natale SS19
This most recent collection takes its inspiration from the worlds of interior design and styling. Natale was intrigued by the relationships between modernism and traditionalism, and how combining these two design ideologies can result in interesting juxtapositions of colours, textures, and shapes. Think an ornate antique sofa on a polished concrete floor. Natale set out to find ways to use and modernize classical and vintage fabrics—a completely new challenge for the designer, who has previously worked with more contemporary textiles.
full look. Daniel Gregory Natale SS19
Through his design process, Natale was able to manipulate these base fabrics by drawing on modern fabrication and weaving techniques to create a collection that reflects traditional influences but remains streamlined. A dress in a classic eggshell cotton is accented with a stark black pinstripe down the warp, which further down the garment transitions into linen, poly and wool blends. In another dress, Natale has strategically pulled out the denim fibres along the warp to create a fur-like texture that is soft to the touch and references vintage fur-trimmed coats. Stiff Victorian cuffs and tall collars are evident throughout the collection, crafted in such a thoroughly modern way so as to make you wonder whether they stand as historical antecedents or new precedents for future eras. The curation of dining experiences by interior stylists was especially interesting to Natale. Hand crocheting found throughout the collection attempts to recreate the delicate patterns and bold colours found in china patterns and tablescapes. Monochromatic crochet patterns reference the pinstripe again, combining fine silk, un-spun wool roving, and hemp.
full look. Daniel Gregory Natale SS19
full look. Daniel Gregory Natale SS19
This small collection of intensely layered looks is indicative of Natale’s signature approach, which invites audiences to explore and analyze the many different fabrics, textures, details, and cuts that come together to create to a unified—and entirely unique—whole.
Discover more from the SS19 collection here.
photography. Charles Roussel
designs. Daniel Gregory Natale
special thanks to J.P. Warren
