Introducing: Vaquera
With a cult following, this New York brand is spreading its wings in Europe
SUBTLETY ISN’T A WORD USED MUCH IN THE WORLD OF VAQUERA, a label with a flair for the fanciful and sometimes impractical. These are clothes for going out in, pieces that radiate delightful irreverence – whether it’s the derby bonnet-style hats, voluminous trains or eccentric teddy dresses.
Founded by Patric DiCaprio, a former stylist from Alabama, and Bryn Taubensee, a vintage enthusiast who grew up in Indiana, the brand has enjoyed a steady build-up of industry buzz, celebrity followers and critical acclaim that goes beyond fashion and social media. With devotees including Rihanna and Tessa Thompson, the New York-based label’s following is made up of equally confident dressers; people who feel at home in tinsel or large-scale ribbons attached to oversized blazers.
DiCaprio and Taubensee’s love of reverie and avant-garde garments is what brought them together in New York, a city that continues to inspire them. ‘Coming from a smaller town, you have this idea of fashion as being magical and amazing, and all about artistic expression. But you quickly realise, “Oh, it’s just an industry selling clothing,”’ DiCaprio says. ‘New York fuels Bryn and me. We’re not making collections that look like pieces you see on the street. It’s what we want to see. It’s not realism; it’s fantasy.’
Their vision for Vaquera captured the eyes of Adrian Joffe and James Gilchrist, the president and vice president of Dover Street Market America and Comme des Garçons America respectively. Joffe and Gilchrist are two of Vaquera’s biggest champions, offering a lifeline for the label when the business faltered. ‘We had hit rock bottom and run out of money,’ DiCaprio says. Taubensee adds: ‘We thought, “How do we do a show when we barely have a collection?”’ But by February 2020, they were sending larger-than-life frilled camouflage skirts, ribbed ankle-skimming khaki knits and cropped PVC boleros down a runway housed in Dover Street Market’s store in Midtown New York, after Gilchrist offered the location as a show space. Joffe later invited Vaquera to be a part of the Dover Street Market Paris family. DSMP helps with support on the production front.
DiCaprio and Taubensee have since taken their show to Paris – a move that felt pivotal after 11 seasons in New York – with a view to expanding their business into Europe. With growth comes the age-old balancing act between making wearable luxury pieces and remaining true to a creative vision. But, so far, it’s a juggle they’ve managed with ease. ‘I had a moment when we were in our showroom this season and I got kind of emotional looking around at all the clothes,’ Taubensee says. ‘I feel like we have really retained our original spirit.’
Clashing prints and busy patterns are the antidotes to grey days and dark nights. Swerve a normcore take on jeans and a nice top by layering a highly sought-after plaid Chopova Lowena kilt over dark denim, or liven up your tailoring by wearing classic tartan, Prince of Wales or houndstooth in primary colours that pop.