The Vaquera kids are living the Greek life — sort of. Patric DiCaprio, Bryn Taubensee and David Moses said this campus institution was their inspiration for spring. And although the designers are far removed from sorority/fraternity sisters and brothers, they do operate within their own tight-knit community.
“Every season, we want people to be, like, ‘What? We weren’t expecting that.’’ DiCaprio said at a preview. “That’s the kind of fashion we’re interested in.”
There always has to be a constant, and with Vaquera it’s a DIY approach and an “anything goes” attitude. On the runway, models and nonmodels paraded around in unisex garments repurposed from thrift stores and discounted fabric. Inventive shirting — one look was actually made of three conjoined white shirts — was a recurring proposition, while red and blue shirt-striped little dresses with ruffles and imprecise gatherings had a naive, almost a life-size doll quality to them.
Elsewhere, boys in oversize denim overalls that mimicked the construction of jeans, shrunken sweatshirts and Vaquera-branded shirts — and plenty of models of both sexes in sequined overlays and togas — suggested that perhaps this class of three might be ready to graduate with honors.