Last May, Equipment quietly invited stylist, costume designer, entrepreneur and creative consultant Sofia Karvela to become its new creative director. The Sunrise Brands-owned label has this month unveiled its first collection, fall 2024, under her direction.
During a preview of the new assortment, Karvela (who previously worked alongside Patricia Field for “Sex and the City” and “Younger” and was signed on with The Wall Group) told WWD she was attracted to the role due to the brand’s rich heritage, citing its go-to signature shirts, as well as its 2016 collaboration with Kate Moss.
“What I came here to do was create more of a lifestyle and overall outfitting. This is my true first collection; every single piece that you see was designed, styled and shot by me,” she said, adding that her goal coming in was to work with what the brand is known for, and expand its head-to-toe offerings without creating trend-driven pieces. “Rather more classic and cozy wardrobing,” she said.
Across the fall collection, which balances a breadth of classics with modern twists, Karvela pointed out key styles including chic, soft and structured tailoring (a great three-piece houndstooth wool and viscose suit); a variety of knitwear (semi-sheer turtlenecks; cropped jackets; a great chunky long cardigan, or stellar polo minidress with built-in shoulder pads); soft utility and denim layers; lamb leather bombers; day-to-night dresses and more. Overall, easy and chic wardrobing — at a contemporary price point.
In addition, Karvela updated its signature shirting with new ‘70s-inspired serpent prints while evolving silhouettes into oversize versions in 100 percent pima cotton, or girlier, fluid V-neck cuts in 100 percent silk.
Beyond rtw, Karvela also created a new Equipment brand logo, which features two mirrored E’s. Upon designing the new logo, the creative director expressed the importance of it being not only clean, edgy, memorable and luxe, but also one that can be utilized across accessories for styling purposes, as seen via the collection’s logo’d belt.
“The growth of creating the wardrobing effect,” Karvela said was the main goal of the year ahead. “My knowledge about what the market wants, what’s missing and what’s needed is what I wanted to create, because I feel like what Equipment has and is, again, not trend-driven, more needed-driven. Being that I’m a personal stylist and having worked with many contemporary brands, I understand what women want, what women need and what women will invest in. How I can kind of cover that more classic, missing piece that feels luxury but is not costing luxury. Again, creating the go-to moments for that woman that keeps coming back just for our shirts, now we can dress her head to toe. I feel like it’s simple. It’s to the point. Our prints are something that will forever be a thing, and I want to be able to give it to her sprinkled, but the main piece here is the wardrobing effect.”
Equipment continues to sell direct-to-consumer and with retail partners — both of which were cited as key areas of growth for the year ahead.
