KOLTSON is a luxury evening wear collection focusing on marrying high fashion and art. Defined by the highest-quality sustainable fabrics and beautifully handcrafted details, KOLTSON was established in 2023 by Robert Rodriguez, a Cuban born designer who began his career working at the house of Christian Dior as an assistant designer to Creative Director Geri Gerard. KOLTSON is made with certified and natural fabrics, including cotton and voile sourced from a family-owned mill in Italy, as well as biodegradable silk textiles. For the Fall 2023 and Resort 2024 collections, Rodriguez partnered with abstract expressionist Vicky Barranguet who painted a series of canvases inspired from his mood board. Rodriguez then reinterpreted her artwork in the form of prints, embroideries, and silhouettes to create a Sahara Desert sunset-inspired Resort collection. Through collaborations with artists and artisans, Rodriguez aims to have KOLTSON engage in exhibitions and editorial publications to support art communities and cultural awareness.

What propelled KOLTSON’s founder, Robert Rodriguez to create this fashion brand?
The relationship between art and fashion has always fascinated me. With the launch of Koltson, I wanted the brand to bring art and fashion together in a deliberate way: creating a common thread between the two worlds through direct collaboration with artists. I wanted the brand’s identity to be defined through the designs and collaborations so I came up with Koltson, which has no gender connotations or preconceived definitions. It’s a name that I felt resonates with both art and fashion.

What is unique about KOLTSON?
There are many brands that produce capsule collections inspired by artists or reference art in their designs, but what sets my brand apart is the extensive collaborations between the artist and myself. It’s more of a partnership where we cross-inspire one another. There are also few luxury eveningwear brands that put a focus on sustainability and responsible manufacturing.

What does KOLTSON hope to accomplish by marrying art and high fashion?
I love the idea of collaboration and cross-promotion. Many lovers of art also love fashion so I wanted to collide both worlds. For my Fall 23 collection debut during New York Fashion Week.I wanted to present the collection in a non-traditional way, so I did a museum like presentation that highlighted the artwork of my collaborator, Vicky Barranguet, alongside the fashion designs. This juxtaposition of art and fashion in an event setting is something I plan on continuing. Vicky and I will be doing similar collaborative events at Neiman Marcus locations across the country in the coming months to launch the Fall collection in stores.

Tell us about KOLTSON’s collaboration with abstract expressionist Vicky Barranguet.
I discovered Vicky’s work on social media and reached out to see if she’d be interested in collaborating. She loved the idea and so we met to discuss the inspiration and color palette. She got to work and over the course of a few months painted a series of seven canvases titled “Threads.” I then used those canvases as inspiration for my collection, transforming the artwork into prints, reinterpreting the shapes in the paintings in the forms of cutouts, silhouettes, and embroideries.

What are the key characteristics of KOLTSON’s upcoming collections?
As a general concept for the brand, I not only wanted to merge the worlds of art and fashion in a deliberate way, but I also wanted to use the caftan as a canvas. It’s a classic, and timeless silhouette that I wanted to modernize and reinterpret. You’ll see new variations of the caftan throughout the Fall 2023 collection. (specific style linked here).

Where did the inspiration come from for the Fall 2023?
I used Vicky Barranguet ’s artwork as the primary source of inspiration for each collection. Her paintings evoke a mood that I try to capture throughout the designs. More specifically, I look to the color palate, shapes and painting as a whole and translate those elements into prints, embroideries, and silhouettes.

What is your favorite piece from the new collections and why?
It’s a question that is hard for me to answer because I love every piece. But if I had to choose my favorites from the Fall 2023 collection, I think they’d be the more flowy and fluid silhouettes. A few favorites are linked here and another one is here.

One of KOLTSON’s key values is sustainability and using only the most eco-conscious fabrics.

Where and how does KOLTSON source its fabrics and materials?
Fabrics and materials are mainly sourced from Italy, which is known for its luxurious fabrics and Europe overall has much stricter standards for sustainability.

What does the future of sustainable fashion look like?
I think as more brands put a focus on sustainability in fabric sourcing, the dying process, factory regulations, etc. the more accessible and cost-efficient it will be. Right now, sustainable options are still more costly to achieve vs. the more toxic options. But I’m hopeful as more consumers demand it, and more brands adhere to sustainable practices, the more accessible it will be to all consumers.

Why did designer Robert Rodriguez decide to produce his designs locally in New York?
I wanted to support our garment district, whenever possible. By producing locally, we are supporting our local talent and craftmanship.

What do you see as the greatest trend in fashion at the moment?
I’m not one to look to trends and think fashion is more about personal style and individuality. It’s not about being noticed and more about being remembered. I design my collection to be collectible, something that is worn and cherished season after season. This all tie back to sustainability and designing for longevity.

How did designer Robert Rodriguez’s Cuban roots influence his designs?
I think Cuban women are known for their sensuality and I try to capture that essence in my collection through the use of transparent fabrics and silhouettes that accent the female body. It has always been a part of my essence.

Designer Robert Rodriguez studied Haute Couture at the Fashion Institute of Technology New York and was presented with the Critic’s Award for Best Designer of the Year. How was Rodriguez’s journey to becoming a fashion designer?
My experience at FIT was an incredible experience that taught me the skills I needed to become a designer and provided me with a platform for creativity and freedom without limitations. I think getting my start working at Dior opened many doors and put me on the path to designing eveningwear. It provided the path for the future of my career.

How is sustainability changing fashion?
I think consumers now feel more responsible and eco-conscious about what they’re buying given the current state of the world, and this is propelling brands to make more responsible choices as it pertains to sustainability. They want to feel like they’re part of the change.

Social Media.
Instagram: koltson_official
Website: https://koltson.com/

Interview by Mariana Apostolatos, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Paige Schubert, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine

Koltson by Robert Rodriguez