As the special guest designer at the biannual men's fashion trade show, Pitti Uomo in Florence, Band of Outsiders' Scott Sternberg presented an extensive show encompassing the Spring 2012 menswear line, along with resort-wear from the Boy and Girl collections.
According to WWD, the West Side Story-themed runway -- Sternberg's first go outside the U.S. -- gave way to '50s-retro, typically-preppy silhouettes with a strong American feel, even in Italy. Men wore varsity jackets and sporty jersey in a school-days motif, while women accompanied them in flirty, school-uniform skirts, sassy cropped jackets and simple, girlish dresses.
It's a collection to keep the easygoing and sophisticated fanbase happy, but one of the biggest takeaways from his Florence appearance was a remark -- caught by Fashionista during a pre-show press conference -- that he's "actively" looking to add handbags. Handbags, of course, have proven to be incredibly successful profit factors for other young brands like Proenza Schouler and Alexander Wang, so it makes sense that Band of Outsiders would be looking to take advantage of a similar opportunity.
