Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s long and storied career advocating for gender equality in the highest court of the United States legal system has made her into a feminist icon in the league of Liz Claiborne. The lives of these two empowering women inform the philosophy and aesthetic of the collection. The styles, silhouettes and textiles of the clothes manifest composite inspiration from Liz Claiborne’s 80s archive collections, and Justice Ginsburg’s own wardrobe and lace collar uniform. This visual alliance of powerful women throughout history represents the Liz Claiborne woman as one of courage and kindness, that transcends all barriers of race and age. Across generations, she becomes every woman who has stood for what is right.
Timeless silhouettes are complemented by versatile design and exceptional craftsmanship to create pieces that will last the Liz Claiborne woman a lifetime. All garments are constructed of considered textiles to maximize comfort and beauty, while tops, coats, and dresses are made reversible to optimize wearability – the consumer essentially gets two products for the price of one. Materials and silhouettes that have endured in the ever-changing fashion landscape are updated into classic iterations with inventive, modern twists. There is a range of different fabrics such as sweater knit, silk, denim and jerseys creating a varied distribution of visual weight. The garments feature unexpected bright and muted color combinations of red, blue and green. By looking to both the past and present, the RBG collection hopes to outfit Woman’s future.
The Fall/Winter “RBG” collection is for the modern woman, one empowered by her fight for a cause she believes in. The collection showcases investment pieces for those whose wardrobe show an interest in timeless quality, attention to detail and character defined by individuality. This is manifested thoroughly in the collection within the details, accessories, and garments. By drawing influence from the past and present legacies of two iconic women, “RBG” seeks to outfit the Liz Claiborne woman’s future.
Looking to the future, “RBG” draws inspiration from Liz Claiborne’s championing of environmental causes during her lifetime. This collection hopes to offer not only a choice in clothing, but in lifestyle as well. It is undeniable that the condition of the planet is rapidly deteriorating. As climate change grows continually more urgent, aspiring to an ecologically sustainable way of life is a means by which every woman can empower herself in our modern society. The versatile functionality and durability of the garments circumvent the “fast fashion” business model by offering affordable investment pieces, reducing garment waste overall. But this attention to sustainability goes beyond the clothing to permeate every aspect of the collection’s culture, including packaging.
Along with the garment industry’s waste, plastic packaging constitutes a major portion of the United States’ municipal solid waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; 2016), plastic packaging alone amounts to 77.9 million tons of waste generation in 2015 (29.7% of total generation). Meanwhile, only 10% of this plastic waste is actually being effectively recycled. Considering these facts, RBG’s packaging system considers sustainability by repurposing plastic bags. This unjustifiable waste is contributing to the destruction of our world. By caring for the world, we get the opportunity to empower not only ourselves, but others. “RBG” gives the Liz Claiborne woman the chance to make a difference; to invest in not only themselves but the future of every woman on the planet.
Introducing Liz Points, a novel system of recycling that reinterprets other existing models created for T-shirts, such as “RE-SPUN by Marine Layer,” with plastic bags. Liz Claiborne women will be able to donate clean plastic bags at every physical store or request a free pre-paid mailer to send them from the comfort of home. For each bag received, the customer will be rewarded a single “Liz Point.” Liz Points act as a sort of reward system, accruing over time to offer the customer exclusive sales and products. Liz Claiborne will use all plastic bags collected to construct the packaging and shopping bags for the RBG collection season. The new shopping bag is constructed from many layers of repurposed plastic to offer a unique, durable brand trademark. This bag, like the garments, will last the Liz Claiborne woman for years to come, and can be used variably as a tote bag.
This system weaves sustainability into the brand, making the Liz Claiborne lifestyle one of consciousness and kindness. This culture is made appealing and fun with the points system, and perpetuated by the timeless products and recycled packaging. More than ever, this model allows the Liz Claiborne brand to create a culture of empowerment and compassion in the spirit of its founder. This system has phenomenal potential to rejuvenate the brand identity by creating a compelling modern culture that consequentially increases retail/online store traffic and brand loyalty.