Laura Myers Is Reimaginging ’90s Minimalism

While Laura Myers’ influences are all-American – she cites Carolyn Bessette and Lauren Hutton as totems – the collection has Oceanic roots. Myers, now based in London, was born in New Zealand and spent much of her early life in Tahiti.

Bessette’s ‘90s minimalist nonchalance is the cornerstone of every collection Myers does for her nearly two-year-old brand, Atea Oceanie – updated for the present day, of course.

“When I first started, one of the things I was thinking about was, what would a woman like Carolyn Bessette be wearing today?” Myers recalls. “She had these great shirts that looked like they were literally borrowed from John Junior.” That inspiration translated into the line’s paper-thin slip dresses, oversize blazers, washed-denim dresses, and even the perfect dressy sweatpant. Myers calls them “wardrobe backbone pieces.” In her look books, they’re often approachably paired with sneakers.

Myers came to create her own collection after taking a relatively unorthodox approach to a fashion career. While attending Brown, where she majored in sociology, she took internships at Ralph Rucci and Louis Vuitton.

“I always knew that I loved fashion and I loved fine arts,” she says. “But I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to do and so I thought, I’ll go and get a liberal-arts degree that would give me some other options.”

Post-graduation, she studied at Parsons, did a stint at ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, and went on to work for her countrywoman, designer Trelise Cooper, before starting Atea Oceanie in late 2012.

The line’s biggest moment in the sun thus far has come from Kristen Stewart, who wore the brand’s button-down and relaxed track pants for a TV appearance. “She shows exactly that kind of nonchalance, kind of boyish but still very feminine … that really expresses the attitude of the brand,” Myers says.

Original article by Véronique Hyland, New York Mag, August 25, 2015.