Stina Sayre, known for her structural pieces and monochromatic colors, is breaking the mold. The Swedish-born fashion designer’s storefront in Vineyard Haven was decked out in colorful patterns on the evening of her July 31 fashion show, “One Love One World.” The ensemble has been in the works for a while. “Inspiration doesn’t happen between 3 and 5 pm,” said Sayre. She drew in fabrics and patterns inspired and sourced from her lifelong travels.
“Look at this piece,” she said before the show, indicating Tere Stevens and Avery White, who were both modeling the Jib Tunic. “Put a pattern on it, and it’s a completely different look. You can wear it any way you want.” Stevens was wearing a dove-blue number paired over the white Essential Skirt. It looked as if she were stopping in from the office, and on her way to a cocktail party. The look was modern and elegant — a classic Stina ensemble. White, on the other hand, was barefoot with her hair loose. She wore the peacock-print tunic as a dress, and could have come from a day at Lambert’s Cove Beach. “That’s what makes me tick,” Sayre said, “designing clothes you can wear to the office, and put in a pattern and wear to the beach.”
The whole show had a fun, lively vibe, something Sayre said was needed given the current political situation. She directed her opening remarks at President Trump’s misogynistic rhetoric and regressive policies and appointments. “I support women,” she said in a later interview. “I’m invested in women, and I cater to women. I believe women should have equal rights, and we don’t have it yet.” Sayre stuck by her message that she makes clothes so that women can feel good and go out and do their jobs as professionals, mothers, and members of society. She said this is especially important in regard to abortion. “If you don’t have control over your whole body now, how can you do your job?” she asked. The show was held in honor of Friends of Family Planning, and Sayre sponsored its recent forum on abortion, Lifting the Veil.
That being said, Sayre’s show was less woman-centric than her past shows. “I had a dream this winter about the design,” she said before the show. However, she kept the surprise for the grand finale. It came to fruition in the form of a man stomping the runway decked out in a white wedding coat. Oraibi Voumard modeled the coat, which fell to his mid-calf and was decorated with flowered lace. He was a vision in white, and the look seamlessly merged elegance with Vineyard casual. There are few places where it’s perfectly acceptable to be barefoot in a tailored coat. A wedding in Chilmark, perhaps.
“The response was great,” Sayre said after the show. Now she and her team are setting their sights on getting through the rest of the summer. This, however, doesn’t seem to be the slog that some people feel around August on Martha’s Vineyard. “I can’t wait to go to work,” said Sayre. “I’m bored at home.” The energy Sayre brings to her work is evident in the clothes she produces; however, she’s the first to say that it’s not a one-woman show. “I make sure I love everyone who I’m working with,” she said. “Everyone.”
