Chemline

Chemline considers the Earth in every aspect of its collection, from the use of organic and eco-friendly fabrics to the title of this season’s collection, “Altus Humo,” which translates from Latin to “ancient earth.”

Averi Bell, creative director of Chemline, designs as though she is building a character’s closet and cites a myriad of inspirations—Egyptology, geology, anthropology and archaeology—that play a part in the collection’s story. “Our character is basically in between two worlds: the world above as the observer and the world below as also the observer from the other side,” said Bell, who previously designed original pieces for film and theater.

Traces of the esoteric narrative are seen in the color story, which was inspired by minerals—Caledonite blue, crocoite red and gypsum white. Bell bases Chemline’s designs on traditional, wearable silhouettes such as slim pencil skirts, bias-cut dresses and fitted tops that originated from “the Art Deco interpretations of [Egyptian] designs and patterns. I think those are references that modern women are comfortable with,” Bell said. “The human body’s not going to change. There’s only so many silhouettes that can be accentuated or changed.”

With that in mind, Bell innovates by adding her own quirky and attentive craftsmanship. There are zig-zag edges on an organic-cotton stripe wrap dress, gathering all the way up the middle of a Tencel basket jumper, and she connects bare shoulder openings and side openings with straps.

“I mostly buy vintage because I find that one piece [and think], ’I’ve never seen that before; I’ll never see that again.’ I’m trying to re-create that in a more modern sense, I suppose,” Bell said.

All of the fabrics—including organic cotton, Modal pointelle knit and Tencel—are dyed using local dye houses and eco-friendly dyes and are sewn locally to ensure a smaller carbon footprint. According to co-founder Maziar Majd, the wood-based fiber Tencel is one of the few “closed loop” fabrications that recycles solvents throughout the spinning process. “It’s a nice mix of modern technology with traditional,” Majd said.

Wholesale price points range from $98 to $240.

For more information, call the corporate office at (323) 401-6402 or The Four Hundred Showroom at (212) 206-8319.

Rhea Cortado