"A reinterpretation of the trench is the foundation upon which Gryphon was built.The trench gained prominence in the visual language of popular culture - evolving from its initial purpose as a soldier's n protective cloak to become the uniform of film noir anti-heroes and ultimately, a staple of a man or woman's modern wardrobe. We took the iconic coat and played with fit and form, but always with an eye to practicality." (concept from the line's bio)
It may not seem like much of an idea to start with, but through her creative work she has successfully designed a line that is, in my opinion, simple yet sophisticated - exactly like a trench coat. The two images below are my favorites from the Spring 2010 collection and are featured on the website.
I'm honestly not even sure where I should start with what I love about this collection. If I truly have to decide....the attention to detail would be my overall favorite aspect. Gryphon's pieces really pop out and grab one's attention without being over-zealous or annoying by adding details like sequins, a touch of glitter, quirky buttons, or jewels here or there. Cho's ability to capture just the perfect amount of these things make them a great addition to your wardrobe. Which transitions to my second reason. A piece of clothing has to be able to find its place among the others in your closest. Even if it stands out it still needs to fit with something and with Gryphon there is something for almost everybody. Finally my favorite part of this collection is its versatility. Take those blue hot pants for example. During the day they'd be great with probably just a plain cotton t-shirt and tons of accessories, but at night, pair them with some pumps and maybe black tights, like the pair Cho wears in this picture, and one of her sequin tops or detailed jackets shown in the collection on the website and those hot pants become part of a great look for a night out. Once a piece has caught your eye and it can fit into your closet without any fuss, it has to be something you can pull out and wear day or night, rain or shine*. Yes, versatility is key. Cho claims Gryphon was founded around the idea of the trench coat, but beneath that I would like to believe that like all good collections it was founded on versatility.xoxo Miss Honeybun
original article: "New Guard" by Esther Adams. June Vogue 2010, pg. 90
http://www.gryphon-ny.com
other link: http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/trends/articles/find-your-signature-style-2
photo credits: Stewart Shining (Vogue). Perry Hagopian (Marie Claire)
*p.s. - to find a little something extra that's great about Gryphon, check out their rain or shine policy
