Under the direction of newly-appointed President and Chief Creative Officer Kristen Cole, luxury retailer Forty Five Ten has announced the launch of a new private label collection. Created as part of the brand’s 4510/SIX initiative, Cole invited artist and designer Katie Stout to create a series of garments, now available online and in stores at Forty Five Ten’s New York and Dallas locations.
Inspired by an all-mesh picnic experience Stout once encountered with a friend, the artist designed a series of four tops, two dresses, and a sweater, each embodying the ease, delight and slightly uncomfortable nature of picnics.
Courtesy of Forty Five Ten and Katy Stout.
The collection employs transparent materials and details like holes and small—small but noticeable details, like a pebble in a shoe—which creates a sense of vulnerability to the wearer. Pieces like an all-sheer drop waist dress with pockets, and a tunic with striped details were imagined in a palette that incorporates sunny yellow and a warm red, reminding us of the perfect summer day for dining al fresco.
In her artistic practice, Stout creates pop-style caricaturized furniture pieces, juxtaposing dark irony and joyful celebration, meant to subvert the usual serious nature of design and household décor. She is best known for projects like a furniture collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard and her exhibition “Bedroom Curio,” featured at Design Miami/ in 2015.
Courtesy of Forty Five Ten and Katy Stout.
