Give your wardrobe a much-needed boost with Ulla Johnson’s latest covetable runway collection
Since launching her eponymous label in 1999, New York native Ulla Johnson has acquired a cult following thanks to her distinctive and uplifting designs – which is why her SS21 collection is the sartorial serotonin your closet needs right now
The global pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives, not withstanding our closets. Of course, there are pervasive rumors that women across the globe have given up on ‘dressing up’ entirely, forgoing their personal aesthetics in favor of loungewear; but it goes without saying that this isn’t true of everyone. One woman flying the flag for fashion, or, more specifically, its ability to elevate our spirits, is Brooklyn-based designer Ulla Johnson.
Despite having no formal design training, Johnson founded her eponymous label in 1999 and, thanks to her exuberant and exquisitely crafted pieces, it has been a cult favorite ever since. An avowed maximalist born of the city that gave rise to modern minimalism, Johnson has never been one to bow to convention – and everything about her SS21 collection, from the dreamy mood to the way she chose to debut it, is a testament to her singularity.
While most designers were eschewing fashion shows in favor of closed presentations or digital-only formats, Johnson saw her SS21 collection – which was designed during the spring of 2020 and presented in September the same year – as an opportunity to affirm her belief in the future of fashion and the role of fantasy, escapism and spectacle within it. Johnson went to the trouble of arranging an alfresco runway show in Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, a venue which she admits would have been utterly untenable under normal circumstances. The result was a touching tribute to the city Johnson and her label have always called home. But, of course, the main event, as ever, was the clothes. Needless to say, these did not disappoint.
A celebration of color, craft, volume and print, Johnson’s SS21 collection was, crucially, uplifting and elevated. By her own admission, Johnson doesn’t believe in dress codes and is a true believer in the power of a great outfit to boost the wearer’s mood and confidence. Which is why, far from embracing athleisure or loungewear, Johnson’s SS21 collection instead featured an array of gorgeously elegant dresses.
From ethereal floor-length gowns to ruffled minis and crotchet maxi dresses, Johnson’s dresses run the gamut from the decidedly relaxed to the utterly refined – but each and every one is imbued with Johnson’s signature insouciance. The beauty of these dresses belie their endless wearability, as they have been designed to be thrown on for instant polish. Whether you’re headed out for a picnic in the park, lounging in your garden or even just popping to the supermarket, simply pair with luxe leather sandals and a cross-body bag to make these quotidian tasks and outings infinitely more chic.
Of course, optimism was at the heart of Johnson’s SS21 collection, so while these dresses can be worn now, they are also meant to be kept and cherished for years to come – so when drinks with friends, date nights, riotous weddings and far-flung holidays are all back on the agenda, you already have the perfect piece waiting in your closet.
Johnson’s covetable dresses are transcendent; they were designed at a time of tumult to transport the woman wearing them to brighter days. So, whether you believe in sartorial alchemy or not, they are sure to put a smile on your face.