R13 RTW Spring 2023

Chris Leba's key to R13's always cool philosophy is consistency. "We do it on purpose," the designer said during a cocktail preview of his latest line. "That's how you establish what a brand stands for, especially if the customer wants it."

The designer said he remembered his days working at Ralph Lauren - ripping silhouettes classics and giving them the twisted and anxious attitude R13. "My thing is, I use the word 'irreverent' a lot, but it's really taking something and flipping it around," he said of the brand, evident through the news mix. versions of R13 staples: Japanese overdyed flannels and button-down shirts, grungy knits and fancy graphic tees, loads of denim and a little tailoring (wide skate-inspired shorts and two reworked blazers).

For spring, the designer tapped into skate culture (while noting that he doesn't isn't a skater) to give laid-back silhouettes an extra boost in lighter hues (including hot pink and baby) than her past seasons. "They're based on a lot of movement - skaters wear big, baggy stuff."

The look: loose, laid-back skate meets R13 signatures.

Note quote: "We lock ourselves into icons and try to do something new with - of course, they're all icon-based not because of their status but because it's what you wear - we really pay homage to its importance," the designer said of the myriad shoes in the spring - luxury leather riffs of very familiar skate and the boots and sneakers of street brands - which could also be said of the majority of ready-to-wear.”

Key parts: double bib suits (which were also cut into shortened bib layers); new interpretations of the brand's signature overdyed and spray-painted Japanese flannels in the form of shirts, dresses and a jumpsuit; elongated ripped tank tops; a tie-dye cardigan (noted to be printed, for consistency); light wash and bleached denim; vintage-inspired logo tees and hoodies (featuring riffs on Vans' signature checkerboard pattern); R13 skate decks covered with stickers.

The takeaway: "Reversing the narrative" on silhouettes - even casual ones - continued to work well during the R13 tag.