Photography by Kimber Capriotti. Tearsheet by Destina Marotta. — Photography by Kimber Capriotti.
Tearsheet by Destina Marotta.

If space is the final frontier then Nicole Miller is the one to ensure that we can explore it dressed as metallic and sparkling as the cosmos surrounding us. During the past year while all eyes have been focused on the pandemic, news has quietly been released detailing UFO sightings and wreckages. Perhaps it was hoped that no one would notice. Nicole Miller not only noticed, but greeted the news with excitement and open arms, and celebrates it with this collection. Nicole Miller’s brand DNA has always reflected the strong independent woman before the phrase became somewhat of a cliché. Even when searching for alien DNA, Nicole Miller’s identity still sparkles through in neon lights. In fact, in traversing the galaxy, she seems to have found the collection that revolves the closest to her orbit.

Fashion has always been a reflection of society and culture, so it is no surprise that many designers have drawn their inspirations from the pandemic of the last year. Many, including Miller, have focused on loungewear, activewear, and comfort, but while most seem interested in dressing for life closer to home, Miller has an eye toward escaping into the cosmos and reaching the stars. Miller has long been known for evening dresses with her background in haute couture and draping, however she is now bringing her formidable talents to bear on a more casual, seemingly gender neutral collection for a galaxy that does not have assigned gender roles. Resplendent with jumpsuits smartly fashioned after flight suits, and bright shiny bags and backpacks reminiscent of high tech field rations, this collection has us ready for an offworld adventure into the unknown.

The collection is described by the CFDA as being “Inspired by the wonders of the cosmos – the splendor of the earth, the sky, the planets, and the stars beyond – and contemplating the grandeur and open spaces of the continental west, we present a collection with futuristic undertones and a mysterious vibe, set in rich earthly tones and emphasizing mystical prints.” One such print on a sleek techy track suit is that of an abstract liquid marbling that seems to mirror the Milky Way. The model appears weightless while wearing a backpack reflecting the aura of pink and purple lights that surround her. The backpack brings to mind the life support systems worn by astronauts, but in a much more futuristic style. Miller’s brand is synonymous with luxe and innovative fabrics, and these are seen in this collection in sparkling pants, metallic accents, and shimmering panels and sleeves. These materials are contrasted with more utilitarian fabrics that make the collection active and wearable (which is what one really needs when going to the moon, right?). Miller’s take on the hoodie in particular, juxtaposed against the tailoring of a blazer, is eye-catching in it’s unconventional shining textile.

When interviewing Miller, she was the most excited about the hidden gems of the collection as she excitedly zoomed up on her phone to show a preview of her favorite looks. The most charming details are heat pressed rhinestone appliques in the shape of alien figures and planets as well as Miller’s signature evil eye motif. Joggers sport moon phases, sunglasses mimic the large black oblong eyes depicted on alien caricatures, and solar system jewels hang from multi-chain necklaces. Makeup pulls the looks together with pink and purples matching the neon lights; models wear purple eyeliner, shimmery pink eyeshadow, and glowing lip gloss. Footwear evokes visions of moon boots with an edge that leans toward a combat style. Detailing on a silver metallic coat manipulates fabric in a way that resembles corrugated tubing used during space walks. Miller also tells us of her love for juxtaposition in her collections which is evident through her mixing of high fashion with more wearable pieces. We particularly loved a glittering wide leg pant topped with a simple white waffled cashmere sweater. The final look brings it all home (or further away in this case) with a UFO emblazoned on a casual sweater dress that ends in a rust colored brightly reflective panel that immediately brings Roswell, New Mexico to mind.

Despite New York Fashion Week being online this season, Nicole Miller transports us on a 30 second journey through the cosmos. In the introduction to her collection via the CFDA site, Miller exhorts us to ask ourselves, “What might exist?” Whatever it might be, at least we know what to wear.

Q&A with Nicole Miller

Nicole Miller is an American fashion designer and businesswoman. She developed her namesake brand in 1982 and it has since grown to become a renowned global lifestyle brand. Miller studied at L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne where she developed expert draping techniques and later attended the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Fine Art. Her educational background is evident in her designs; she is known for innovative fabrics, signature prints, and unique silhouettes. Miller's internship with dressmaker Clovis Ruffin influenced her dressmaking journey as she was originally known for party and wedding dresses. She has since broadened her scope through ventures in furniture, interior design, beauty supplies, and accessories.

Miller graciously took the time out of her hectic schedule to speak with us regarding her most recent collection and her foray into the new and unknown. We interviewed her the afternoon before the debut of her FW21 collection. Detailing the chaos of preparing for her collection, Miller seemed flushed with exuberance and excitement despite an extremely hectic schedule with all of its last minute details and final trimmings. She seemed to embody the optimism and strength of her brand and it was a pleasure to speak with her. Read below for the full interview.

What are some of the highlights of your collection?
Well, it’s kind of like futuristic comfort because I feel like we’re still going to be living in this comfort mentality. But I was also very inspired by all the news about UFOs in the papers this year - everything with UFOs and aliens. I was feeling very space-y and Sci-Fi and futuristic. We did a lot of very high tech fabrics and then combined those with comfort fabrics like cashmere - so we juxtaposed techy, modern, and comfort. We did some fun little things like we would add little planets and spaceships and heat-pressed rhinestones on sweatshirts and jackets. But, all the prints are very minimal and abstract so none of the prints are figurative at all. So, it has a Space Age vibe.

That's interesting because a lot of designers seem to be very inspired by the pandemic but there’s also been so many other things going on. How do you feel your inspiration differs from other designers?
Homespun. I feel like everybody’s going homespun and cooking and doing all that stuff and I’ve done my fair share of cooking but I felt like for Spring, I was very DIY and we did all that tie-dye and everybody dyed up stuff like crazy. We were doing shibori and all of that detailing that has more of that hands-on quality. Here, I figured, it’s time to move away from that. It’s time to get out of the kitchen (laughs). I love cooking, don’t get me wrong. On my personal Instagram, I post food all the time.

Do you have any favorite pieces from the collection?
I could show you some pictures on my phone. It’s one of my favorite pictures; it’s leather and has a silvery sparkly sleeve. It actually has a lot of the planets heat-pressed on it.

When you were developing this collection, was your creative process a little different than normal?
Every season is different because I feel like this was a little harder to pull out. We worked on Spring through the Summer and we didn’t really feel the impacts of the pandemic so much because we were outdoors and we could do stuff and go for a walk. You know, in the Summer you can go to the beach and you can do anything. And then for Fall, we had this very heavy Winter and I just felt very enclosed. In Summer, I was feeling very upbeat. First of all, we thought the pandemic was gonna end, you know? So Summer was almost like a fake since the pandemic got worse. So, I feel like everything just seemed precarious and unknown. For Spring I had such a clear vision and I recreated the Chateau Marmont and the showroom. This collection had a lot more ambiguity to it. But, in the end, I like this collection so much better than Spring and I feel like it’s much more me. I like the clothes so much more- just about everything in this show I would wear.

The Spring show was a little more girly. I really like the prints in this show - they’re all very abstract - and I like all the fabrics. There’s a lot of leather and there’s some high-tech fabrics, there’s some Coated Tyveck, and a lot of reflected fabric. So, I think this collection was a lot cooler but it was also just harder to get there. It was just more of a struggle to find the right path.

Is picking your inspiration and the fabrics you’re using the most rewarding to you or is it when you see the final product?
I like the process. I’m always about the process and all parts of the process. You know, it’s nice when the cake comes out of the oven but I’ve always liked playing with fabrics and sketching so I like every side of that. I’m always very involved because I’m very technical too.

I imagine that you’re constantly looking for ways to innovate and looking for inspiration. Did you feel like you started developing a creative vision when you went to school for design? Was there a design niche that you felt like you fit into that’s reflected in your collections today?
It’s hard to say because I went to school so long ago and times change but I am still the same person. I always had that kind of badass streak, you know? (laughs) And I still have it. I certainly had it while I was in school, so there was always a bit of a niche to everything I did.

Is that how you would relate your past collections to your current ones - that edge?
If I make a pretty floral dress, I’m still the kind of person that would put a leather jacket over it. I’ve always done that even though I know it’s been a trend for the last few years, but it’s the kind of thing I’ve always done. I always like to put together things that don’t necessarily belong together. I like to put things in odd juxtaposition.

How do you feel like you’ve been impacted by the changing consumer? You see sustainability now and slow fashion. Do you feel like you’ve had to really shift the way that you’re thinking when you’re creating your collections or is that natural to you?
Over the years, I’ve had to change many times. I just think trends change and you have to go along with the trends but we’ve certainly added a lot more casual and active clothing to the collection. Not necessarily because of the pandemic but we were kind of on that path anyway because obviously, athleisure has been a big thing. We were on that path anyway and coincidentally, it timed well with the pandemic.

How would you describe fashion for you?
I think style is individuality. I think people with a great style have their own individual take on how to dress and I feel like they’re not led around by what they see in a magazine. They have their own sense. I always appreciate when people throw a vintage piece with a new piece or two conflicting designer pieces together or something expensive with something cheap.

Do you have a motto that HAS always stayed with you?
“Never say never!” (laughs). It’s funny because I always used to say I’d never put a ruffle on a dress because I’m not a ruffle person but I certainly have worn ruffles at times. You can’t buck the trends. If ruffles are selling, you can’t really close your mind to it. I like to stick to my guns but sometimes trends do not align to my thinking so I have to bend my thinking a little bit. I try to make it work and try to twist it.

Social Media
Instagram: @nicolemillernyc
Facebook: @nicolemiller
Pinterest: @nicolemillernyc

Article by Tessa Swantek, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine

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