DESIGNER PROFILE
Samantha Richelle redefines urban street style with a hint of sensuality and a whole lot of attitude
Samantha Richelle’s new collection redefines cool
Urban Dictionary defines ‘ Baddest’ as supreme in status or standing; The very best at something; The highest honor. The greatest. This superlative is often used for women who are unapologetically themselves, and even further, an adjective only fit for women who know their path and achieve their goals all while looking their best. Samantha Richelle is then, by definition, a baddie. Known for her cool eclectic style that expertly mixes the masculine and feminine, Samantha was the stylephile the fashion world waited for to create her own line that reflected the same style aesthetics. Just in time, Samantha Richelle, the brand, was born.
The passion for design didn’t come right away for her. She admits that fine arts was her real love, noting that she has always wanted to be an artist. It came later for her when art led her to actually design clothes. She looks back at moments she spent time at her mother’s walk-in closet as a kid that shaped her love for fashion. “Watching my mom get ready for an evening out was definitely one of my earliest fashion memories. I was always amazed at how organized and how big her walk-in closet was!” she quips. But her first experience in design came when she created a black low v-neck dress for an event in LA 10 years ago. She then started making pieces for her friends, and soon, she discovered the real joy in design. “I wanted to pursue fashion design fully when designing became fun. It was also a great experience to see that people we’re enjoying every piece I created,” she shares.
Soon after she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and traveling around the world with bases in Brunei, London, Unites States, and the Philippines, Sam finally launched her namesake brand. Reflecting her own vision in style, the Samantha Richelle brand celebrated the gender spectrum with androgynous pieces that are inspired by art and created with a keen consideration for quality and use of fabric.
For Collection One, she was mainly inspired by the art she saw growing up “Art has always been present in my life.
My parents are big art collectors, so I was basically living in an art gallery with pieces ranging from Andy Warhol to Degas.” This experience has intrigued at an early age and now sees new life in the collection by referencing the new and old in the world of art. “Abstract prints, as well as an old reference to a painting by Jan Boeckhorst in the 1400s were just some of the inspirations for this collection,” she shares. Infusing an urban vibe to each piece via silhouette, cut and detailing, Sam was able to merge both her passions in one collection. From the tailored separates to the statement coats, blazers, and windbreakers, Collection One is the definition of elevated street style.
The future for the brand, Sam shares, is to branch out from being an online shopping platform into an international line that is available in luxury retail stores here and abroad. With a fashion aesthetic that is ready to take on the world, Samantha Richelle is set to make a name here and all over the world.