If you have been to one of Parke and Ronen previous gatherings, you know that the brothers of Pi Rho are without a doubt the hottest guys on campus and that they are well known for having a skimpy clothes theme. Well, On Thursday, July 14, they threw the dopest fraternity party of the summer.
The dress code was strictly enforced: mini swim briefs, laid-back beachwear with a prepster flare and whimsical sea graphics. Think School Ties meets Fire Island, wild right? The cherry on top of the cake were the Lodinatt handbags, and David Hart printed blazers designed exclusively for the soiree.
By far, this year was my favorite theme. There’s something about collegiate memorabilia that just get me and that tropical twist seen on those varsity jackets was astounding. I hope we get to see those as part of the uniforms next season along with the letterman sweaters and of course, those crop tops. One thing I don’t want to see anyone wearing is those puka shell necklaces… They are so 90’s, therefore should remain there.
Before my initiation, I got to talk to the figureheads of the fraternity Parke Lutter, and Ronen Jehezkel.
Where did you draw inspiration from when designing this collection?
Parke: The inspiration comes from what is called “The Baby Ivies.” – Elite private small colleges – It’s a little utopia where this whole society is there to make you the best you can be. The world is so messed up right now; we are just looking for something with optimism and hoping for progressive future. Nowadays, these institutions are actively dedicated to diversity. It’s also young and brings some nostalgia because I went to one.
Ronen: I’m from Israel, and over there we say we are all Ivy League. For me, to get into this inspiration, I watched religiously the progression of the Ivy League schools competing to get a ticket to the Olympics. I got an overall sense, but I also discovered that they have to be not only top in sports but also from A to Z.
What fabrics and materials did you use, and how does the designing elements separate this collection from previous ones?
Parke: We added a lot more tops, a lot more of or knits, anything from tank tops to sweaters. Including the Blazers, we did in collaboration with our friend David Hart.
Ronen: I always like to bring some vintage twist to the underwear or the collection. For this season, we chose materials that were used for the uniforms athletes march on for the opening ceremony of the Olympics and we turned into tailored pants. Tailored but more relaxed.
Parke: (Joking) The bigger the designer gets the loser the silhouettes get.
Last year, you finally launched your underwear collection, in a saturated market, what makes Parke and Ronen stand out?
Ronen: When you say Parke and Ronen, the first thing that comes into your head is sexy. And sexy and underwear are two words that are glue together. So it was just a matter of time for us to design an underwear collection. Thus far, it has been a huge success. However, this is just a taste to nibble on. We are developing it into something much bigger.
Any advice on how to find the perfect swimsuit for this season, is there a particular cut or style we should be aware of?
Parke: We have some many styles, and I think the answer never changes with us: know your body type, know your assets and make sure it fits.
What can we expect from the show?
Parke: A very fun 10 minutes.
Ronen: A sexy show. The sexiness should never and will never leave the runway.
MORE BACKSTAGE ACTION HERE
Jorge Gallegos
Not just a pretty face
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