If you could design three pieces that you wish you had in your closet, but can never find, what would they be? That’s the question that Universal Standard asked actress Danielle Brooks before collaborating with her on a three-piece capsule collection, which launches today.
The plus-size brand used the same concept when it collaborated with models Candice Huffine, Georgia Pratt, and Katy Syme earlier this year. Universal Standard tapped Brooks next because it loved her “beauty, energy, and style,” explains co-founder Alexandra Waldman. As for the actress, she says she knew the match was right “when Alex told me about Universal Fit Liberty,” Universal Standard’s policy by which you can exchange any of its garment for a new size within a year. “Their headspace is moving us forward, as women first before we are a size,” adds Brooks. “I was like yes, this is a brand that I want to be a part of. Now, it’s crazy to finally have clothes out there that I designed. That never ever crossed my mind when I was a teenager, shopping at Walmart looking in the men’s section.”
The collection is short and sweet, made up of just a pair of overalls, a pleated shirt dress, and an off-the-shoulder sweater dress. “When they told me [the concept] I had just gotten off of a plane,” says Brooks. “I was thinking, ‘You know what could be cool? Having something that is transformable.’ I chose the off-the-shoulder dress, because I felt like this is something I was just comfortable wearing. So if I’m on a plane and I want to be casual, then I step [out of the airport] and there’s paparazzi in my face and I want to feel a little more glamorous, I can take this dress either direction.”
PHOTO: Heather Hazzan
The Dani Sweater Dress “The sweater dress will always be a statement piece,” says Brooks. “And the one we’ve created goes a few steps further than your everyday dress. With this piece, you are able to dress it up, dress it down, wear it off the shoulder, and even rock it as a chic hoodie. It’s what every woman will be looking to wear for fall.” ($190, in aubergine or black, Universal Standard)
Up next: the overalls, which are specially designed for a curvy frame. “I remember looking in the men’s section for overalls because there were none that would properly fit me in the hips and waist in the women’s section,” says Brooks. The pair also has elevated hardware, which makes it easier to pair with heels for a day-to-night look.
PHOTO: Heather Hazzan
The Brooks Overalls “The overalls were a no-brainer,” says Brooks. “For years I have looked for a pair of overalls that weren’t too baggy in the crotch, that presented some type of wow factor and that wasn’t too long in the body. This one will be sure to satisfy every woman who has felt like me.” ($120, Universal Standard)
Finally, there’s a pleated shirt dress, which comes in the below pink and crisp white, and was inspired by Solange Knowles. “There was a shirt I saw her wear that I wished that I could have worn,” says Brooks. “And I was like oh, I can make it! The shirt dress is very similar to that outfit [of hers].”
PHOTO: Heather Hazzan
The Danielle Shirt Dress “The shirt dress was inspired by one of my fashion icons, Solange Knowles,” says Brooks. “Too often, I’m not able to wear the cool unique statement pieces that I see because they never run in my size. This piece will have people asking you, ‘excuse me, where did you get that?’” ($110 in black, rose, or teal, Universal Standard)
We’ve all heard that, when it comes to designing plus-size clothes, there are certain nuances that can make the process difficult: You can’t simply grade up designs, for instance; pieces have to accommodate increasingly varied body shapes (i.e. why elastic waistbands still exist); and that extra material can get super expensive. But for Brooks, the biggest learning curve was how to work with fabrics: “You know, what fabric will fall right, what fabric will lay right on the body, what fabric will work around the armpit versus the ankle. I like to wear my undergarments and cinchers, and a lot of times you can see the imprint of them under the garment. It was all about the fabrics.” (FYI: the shirt dress is made of a cotton-nylon-elastane blend, the sweater dress is made of a wool-cashmere blend, and the overalls are made of a cotton-elastane blend.)
If you’re a fan of Brooks’ style (or follow her on Instagram), you probably know she’s tight with some designers. “For the past few years, it was very important to me to challenge these designers that won’t even have plus size shoes, bring plus sizes to stores,” she says. “Now that I’m starting to enter into [the fashion] world on a deeper level, I’m starting to realize: Who cares about them?” she says, of the designers who haven’t dressed her. “They never cared about me.” When it came time to design, Brooks asked a simple question: “Why not focus on brands that are actually—from the beginning—cared about making me feel good in clothes?” And she wasn’t done with the real talk there: “I have gone to fancy events and confronted huge designers and said like, ‘Hey, like why haven’t you designed for plus sizes?’ And they go blank. They don’t even know if they have a plus size line or not! And that tells me right there that they don’t care.”
Though Danielle Brooks for Universal Standard launches today, the brand had a 24-hour flash sale with the collection that performed well. “The overalls are slightly outperforming the dresses,” says Waldman. Brooks adds: “The one I thought that people weren’t gonna gravitate towards the most people actually are. People are loving the shirt dress.” Get one while you still can!
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