Mirror, Mirror: Ath-leisure brands dominate boutiques

Center City architect Nicole Rossi is embracing a shift in her wardrobe.

Instead of dresses, Rossi now gravitates toward casually sophisticated looks: silk jogger pants; pastel blouses; zipperless, quilted leather jackets; and dresses with asymmetrical hems.

"I'm focusing more on being comfortable," said Rossi, 31. "But I'm not dressing down . . . I wear heels with everything."

Rossi's go-to brands are Theory, Vince, A.L.C., and Joie (pronounced zhwah) - womenswear collections known for chic lines and such features as soft backless T-shirts that instantly look conservative when paired with tailored blazers.

"I'm not into anything super flashy, but I love the details like stitched hems and strategic cutouts," Rossi added.

Not since the early oughts, when California-based brands Three Dots, Michael Stars, and 7 for All Mankind were in their casual heyday, have I seen any brand dominate womenswear boutiques so heavily. But these "ath-leisure" brands - A.L.C., Joie, Emerson Fry, Vince and Theory - do. Whether local retailers carry just some of the collections or entire lines, at least one of these designers - and more often it's two or three - is carried in nearly every specialty boutique in Center City and the surrounding 'burbs.

Boutique owners say the collections cracked Philadelphia's price-conscious style market because they are dressy, skim the body, and have a touch of trendy athleticism. Many of the pieces feature racerback tops, comfy pants in stretch material that accentuate the backside, and strategically placed cutouts.

They easily go from cubicle to cocktail hour, are well-made, and, for the most part, are manufactured on American soil.

And, despite the price tags - an A.L.C. piece can run $300 tp $700 - the collections are popular with millennials, Gen Xers, and well-dressed baby boomers, who, like Rossi, admit to paying more for clothing over the last year because, in one of the most interesting economic fashion trends of all, quality is trumping quantity.

At the same time, "aspirational" and logocentric brands such as Michael Kors and Coach have seen a sharp dip in earnings. (On Walnut Street, the Coach store closed earlier this year, while a Vince opened a stand-alone in the same block.)

These former "it" brands aren't much more expensive than today's minimalist collections, but have become more about mass consumption than fashion - which, for a generation of college grads struggling to find work, is hard to embrace.

That means those who are starting to enjoy career success in start-ups and as entrepreneurs would rather carry a label-less-yet-roomy bucket bag than an ostentatious tote.

"There is a real shift toward the functional aesthetic," said Sharla Floyd, owner of the artsy Center City boutique Atelier Rittenhouse. Floyd also counts Council of Fashion Design incubator participant Misha Nonoo in this grouping.

"It's about wearing that amazingly thin, knit sweater and the skirt that makes your [butt] look good every day," Floyd said. "That elevates the daily look."

"These designers put shape back in clothes again," said Knit Wit's Ann Gitter, who recently scrapped a bunch of the boutique's well-known designers for more inconspicuous collections. "The fabrics are soft, they feel good, and you can see the waist and the bust. And I can't keep them in my stores."

Donna Massanova, a partner at Baker Tilly, finds this spring's matching skirt-and-top combos feminine and work appropriate. She'd rather wear outfits made from fabric that moves with her instead of stiff, corporate suits.

"I like pieces that offer versatility," said Massanova, 56, who bought a number of A.L.C. skirts this season. "It's the type of line that can be serious in a work environment, but also gives a more sexy edge."

A.L.C. comes from Andrea Lieberman, whose spring collection - fringed blouses, optic white backless jumpsuits, and striped fit-and-flare dresses - is beyond easy to wear. Not to mention, that pithy midi-length skirt and matching midriff fashioned from fabrics boasting a Tylenol Gelcap-like pattern is so cute. In a sea of pills, one red one is hidden within.

As a former stylist to the stars, Lieberman dressed Gwen Stefani and put Jennifer Lopez in the deep V Versace gown for the 2000 Grammys.

After running a boutique in downtown Manhattan, Lieberman started California-based A.L.C. in 2009. Much like Helmut Lang and Phoebe Philo for Celine, Lieberman was at the forefront of the minimalist trend - but much more wearable.

That's why A.L.C. appeals to 31-year-old Jessica Cipperly, who says her style alternates between downtown chic and beachy.

"I used to be all about getting a good deal," said Cipperly, who's begun shopping less, but spending more.

"Now unless it looks good - I mean really good - I don't buy it."

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