Shipley & Halmos

NEW YORK, February 4, 2010
By Romney Leader
There were no complicated themes or inspiration stories. Instead, Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos focused on one basic question: "What's in a woman's closet?" If the designers have their way, it'll be their updates on classic fare, like a five-pocket silk "jean" or a leather and wool varsity jacket. The duo's past collections have had a tendency to be one-note, but here they wisely emphasized a range of versatile options. Sheer Breton shirts, a cool ankle-length silk trench, and chunky alpaca-knit sweaters looked wearable but had enough flair to pique a girl's interest—it's the sort of approach that some of the most successful young New York designers have been taking. With their latest effort, Shipley and Halmos are aiming to position themselves in that company.