Portrait of an Explorer, the title of Stine Goya’s pre-fall lineup, might suggest a historical inspiration, but the designer’s focus is actually more personal. “We’re talking about how you as a person explore your sights inside, how you can be super strong-minded and you can also be resilient or emotionally fragile—all of those parts of your personality,” she said on a call. What it all boils down to is a collection of looks that speak to different moods and occasions.
Goya has always had an eye for color, and she employs it on eye-catching solid separates that can easily be mixed into an existing wardrobe. Pearl fastenings were the designer’s fascination last season; hardware is the focus this season. A curve of metal tubing stamped with the brand logo attached to the collar of a suit jacket doubles as a kind of jewelry, as does a golden belt that wraps around a persimmon coat. Metal rings are used to create a pull-through effect on a draped jersey cocktail dress as well as on bags. Casual curved-leg jeans are perfect for pairing with the brand’s Hailey Bieber–approved checkerboard sweater, now offered as a peach-and-mocha cardigan.
Pre-fall’s news is a photo-print poppy; its stamens bedazzled on a sporty quilted bomber. Goya has largely moved away from her hand-created motifs, so it was nice to see an irregular side stripe appear as if drawn onto a pair of pajama pants. As this Copenhagen brand has gone global, it’s become dressier and more polished, but that small nostalgic touch delivers on the perfectly imperfect boho charm and hop-on-a-bike ease that is also part of the brand’s DNA.
