A Denim Design Duo Creates A Beautiful New Line

Few designers have the ability to envision the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans and maxi dresses so delightfully free-spirited that they demand to be worn by Kate Hudson, but design duo Emily Current and Merritt Elliott have managed the impossible. The creative force behind cult favorite denim line Current/Elliott is launching "The Great," a new, bohemian brand that I'm definitely endorsing. But how does one create a company to top a former venture so incredibly successful it contributed an entirely new word to the English language (that would be "the Boyfriend jean")? By taking an entirely different sartorial direction, of course.

The Great is basically the clothing version of the earthy feel of Blake Lively's website Preserve, incorporating free-spirited designs with unexpected details to form an innately wearable collection. Unlike fussier labels which create achingly beautiful pieces one could wear on maybe one or two formal occasions a year, The Great's focus is on reinterpreting staples that women can wear anytime, anywhere. A silky, striped shirtdress looks like an elongated version of a menswear shirt; a wispy, Peter Pan collar blouse and slouchy indigo trousers could take a professional from the office to a drinks date; and a floral maxi dress with a billowing skirt looks like it walked off the set of Almost Famous — in the best possible way.

When asked about the line's impetus by Style.com, Merritt and Elliott were quick to cite their celebrity personal styling clients as a major influence. Elliott further stated that The Great is based in comfort and confidence, saying:

Because we’ve been stylists for so long, we’ve fit so many different body types, we’re just very particular about how things fit. We’re very aware of what a woman wants to feel like in her clothes.

Even The Great's website is an ode to beauty; though the site is currently poised to open in Spring 2015, a bucolic image of the stylists admiring a tree-lined pond speaks to the innate, winsome charm of the brand. Mark your calendars, because Spring 2015's new kid on the block is bound to sell its wares faster than Isabel Marant for H&M.