Trish Wescoat Pound is a merchant’s designer, seeing her clothes off the runway (or in the case of pre-seasons, the look book), all the way to the shop floor.
Luckily it’s not a far distance to go as TWP’s SoHo showroom is just a few levels up from her store, a sign of the strong rapport Pound has with her customers. “Now that we have stores, I’m like a nerd,” she joked during a visit. “I could stay up all night and read what people are saying.”
So what are they saying? According to Pound, “Eveningwear, that’s the biggest thing they come in looking for.” It’s somewhat ironic given her brand doesn’t really do gowns. Instead, Pound champions evening separates, and here she provided great sequin trousers or maxiskirts to pair with stiff cotton poplin shirts like the one she had on for a coolest-girl-in-the room sort of unaffectedness.
The other thing they’re looking for are wardrobes strictly to travel in, something Pound said she has a hard time wrapping her head around. Explaining the difference between her “resort” and “pre-spring” deliveries, she hinted at the former being a “dated notion” that implies it’s vacation-only. Regardless, she gave them what they wanted in the form of a small capsule, which she described sweetly as a teaser, saying “It’s a little early package for people going away.”
By the look of it, that little package is Hamptons-bound. Leaning into resort’s “cruise” moniker, it brimmed with nautical prep, consisting of blue-and-white sailor tops, a linen caftan with a boat-neck, heavy-weight fisherman knits and golden fishnet pieces. Another one of Pound’s strengths: nailing a theme without making it feel gimmicky.
And once the TWP girl docks, she’ll step right onto the ranch in pre-spring. Grounded in Southwestern Americana, this section teamed with python-printed leather, frilly voile blouses and patchwork denim in airy hemp. There was also a striped Mojave poncho and even a gown: a beaded slip with a low cowled back felt that felt equally as unaffected.
Surveying the room, Pound appeared satisfied, saying: “I think racks should talk to you and to me these racks speak back.” There’s a good chance they’ll speak back to shoppers, too.
