Separate but equal
The recession has inspired a cadre of designers to bring back versatile separates. Now Lily Samii, whose custom gowns dominate the S.F. gala scene, has joined the fray.Lily Samii’s career reads like a movie pitch: UCLA college girl trained in French dressmaking in Tehran is hired by a posh boutique to do alterations. Her big break comes when she remakes part of a gown for actress Joan Blondell. This leads to an internship with the legendary Edith Head at Paramount, then another with the esteemed James Galanos. Migrating north in 1969, she opens a Larkspur boutique that grows into a fashion house and moves into a luxe Union Square atelier in 1998, enticing generations of socialites and buyers at Saks. But there’s a sequel to the Hollywood ending: A global downturn and designer Phoebe Philo’s paradigm-shifting spring collection for Céline draws fashion’s attention back to basics—fine fabric, quality workmanship, and enduring styles, all among Samii’s trademarks. So now she has introduced a ready-to-wear line of separates—the antithesis of H&M and Uniqlo—for the fast-fashion generation. We got a first look at her second coming. By appointment, 260 Stockton St., 4th Fl., S.F., 415-445-9505, lilysamii.com
What led you to start a ready-to-wear line after more than 40 years in the business? We’ve always made custom daywear, and we are keeping the same level of integrity in ready-to-wear, as far as fabrics and workmanship are concerned. But the streamlined styles appeal to younger women.
Your pink coat with the standup collar and three-quarter-length sleeves is so Jackie Kennedy. Why is that silhouette still fresh today? It has the simplest lines. There is no gimmick. Design doesn’t have to be complicated to be fabulous.
One of the high-tech fabrics you use is made up of small circles on a mesh background, creating a fishscale effect. What’s innovative is that a laser cuts the fabric and seals it at the same time, so there’s no fraying around the edges. It is incredible.
I’m happy to see you’re doing a high-waisted trouser. I couldn’t wait to say farewell to the hip-hugger, which only looks good on the young and narrow. I have been doing the same pant since I started. It looks good on 90 percent of people.
You’re also showing asymmetrical necklines. Will that continue into fall? I am the wrong person to talk to about trends, because I don’t believe in them. The asymmetrical neckline has existed since the ancient Egyptians. It will always be around. It is a flattering neckline for a lot of women.
What else should women in San Francisco wear this fall? What are the key pieces? Duster coats with varying sleeve lengths and wool jersey or wool crepe dresses with a loose drape are most important. Depending on one’s body, they can be worn belted or loose. The unexpected folds of fabric make the dresses body-friendly for any age.
Speaking of trends, are there some you despise? Big shoulder pads in the ’80s—I hate them with a passion. They made people look so weird. The ’80s were the worst: big shoulders, big hair, too much of everything.
What can we expect from your fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection, debuting at Saks? Besides experimental fabrics, I’m using highly engineered shapes, metallic threads, and special treatments like embossing to play with light, but keeping our house’s prim and classic designs. Colors will range from copper and burnt sienna to pewter and steel to patent and matte black.
How do you get young women who are used to McFashion to appreciate or understand quality? Education, education! Believe me, it’s not easy—I am always promoting that concept. I feel it’s my calling to make sure that young people realize quality is far more cost effective and attractive, and it has a much longer shelf life.
Do you subscribe to the theory of keeping everything, because it will eventually come back? If it is classic, it should never go out of style. Only keep pieces that look good on you and that you’re going to wear over and over.
Whose ready-to-wear do you buy, and why? A lot of my pants are Dior because they fit well. I also like Chanel jackets and pants because they are easy to wear, both in terms of fit and classic styling.
You’re originally from Iran. Did that trigger your love affair with color? I’ve always loved color. I guess it’s just something I was born with.
Yet you’re wearing head-to-toe black. I do because I’m lazy. I don’t want to think in the morning. I don’t want to think when I’m traveling. I have a black T-shirt in every fabric, from cotton to cashmere.
How did you end up with such an urban look, having lived most of your life in sunny California? I used to go on buying trips to New York in the ’70s, and the women were all wearing black dresses and pearls and red lipstick. I wanted to look like them, and it stuck with me.
Samii says
Five separates that will spiff up your look.
1. A pair of well-fitting pants: “Preferably wool crepe, which transcends the seasons.”
2. A novelty jacket: “I love it in bright, strong colors. Wear it with a simple dress or pants, and let the jacket do the talking.”
3. A fitted skirt: “In navy, not black, continuing our nod to color. This can be paired with...”
4. …a crisp white blouse: “My favorite in the ready-to-wear line is made of pure white silk shantung with organza sleeves.”
5. A novelty top: “We have one that has a chiffon cowl-back T-shirt design, and the fabric is covered in flat paillettes, a type of sequin, giving it a unique look. Wear it to the office with a navy skirt or out to a nightclub with a pair of jeans and heels—heads will turn!”
What led you to start a ready-to-wear line after more than 40 years in the business? We’ve always made custom daywear, and we are keeping the same level of integrity in ready-to-wear, as far as fabrics and workmanship are concerned. But the streamlined styles appeal to younger women.
Your pink coat with the standup collar and three-quarter-length sleeves is so Jackie Kennedy. Why is that silhouette still fresh today? It has the simplest lines. There is no gimmick. Design doesn’t have to be complicated to be fabulous.
One of the high-tech fabrics you use is made up of small circles on a mesh background, creating a fishscale effect. What’s innovative is that a laser cuts the fabric and seals it at the same time, so there’s no fraying around the edges. It is incredible.
I’m happy to see you’re doing a high-waisted trouser. I couldn’t wait to say farewell to the hip-hugger, which only looks good on the young and narrow. I have been doing the same pant since I started. It looks good on 90 percent of people.
You’re also showing asymmetrical necklines. Will that continue into fall? I am the wrong person to talk to about trends, because I don’t believe in them. The asymmetrical neckline has existed since the ancient Egyptians. It will always be around. It is a flattering neckline for a lot of women.
What else should women in San Francisco wear this fall? What are the key pieces? Duster coats with varying sleeve lengths and wool jersey or wool crepe dresses with a loose drape are most important. Depending on one’s body, they can be worn belted or loose. The unexpected folds of fabric make the dresses body-friendly for any age.
Speaking of trends, are there some you despise? Big shoulder pads in the ’80s—I hate them with a passion. They made people look so weird. The ’80s were the worst: big shoulders, big hair, too much of everything.
What can we expect from your fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection, debuting at Saks? Besides experimental fabrics, I’m using highly engineered shapes, metallic threads, and special treatments like embossing to play with light, but keeping our house’s prim and classic designs. Colors will range from copper and burnt sienna to pewter and steel to patent and matte black.
How do you get young women who are used to McFashion to appreciate or understand quality? Education, education! Believe me, it’s not easy—I am always promoting that concept. I feel it’s my calling to make sure that young people realize quality is far more cost effective and attractive, and it has a much longer shelf life.
Do you subscribe to the theory of keeping everything, because it will eventually come back? If it is classic, it should never go out of style. Only keep pieces that look good on you and that you’re going to wear over and over.
Whose ready-to-wear do you buy, and why? A lot of my pants are Dior because they fit well. I also like Chanel jackets and pants because they are easy to wear, both in terms of fit and classic styling.
You’re originally from Iran. Did that trigger your love affair with color? I’ve always loved color. I guess it’s just something I was born with.
Yet you’re wearing head-to-toe black. I do because I’m lazy. I don’t want to think in the morning. I don’t want to think when I’m traveling. I have a black T-shirt in every fabric, from cotton to cashmere.
How did you end up with such an urban look, having lived most of your life in sunny California? I used to go on buying trips to New York in the ’70s, and the women were all wearing black dresses and pearls and red lipstick. I wanted to look like them, and it stuck with me.
Samii says
Five separates that will spiff up your look.
1. A pair of well-fitting pants: “Preferably wool crepe, which transcends the seasons.”
2. A novelty jacket: “I love it in bright, strong colors. Wear it with a simple dress or pants, and let the jacket do the talking.”
3. A fitted skirt: “In navy, not black, continuing our nod to color. This can be paired with...”
4. …a crisp white blouse: “My favorite in the ready-to-wear line is made of pure white silk shantung with organza sleeves.”
5. A novelty top: “We have one that has a chiffon cowl-back T-shirt design, and the fabric is covered in flat paillettes, a type of sequin, giving it a unique look. Wear it to the office with a navy skirt or out to a nightclub with a pair of jeans and heels—heads will turn!”
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