Ask me about my love for globe trotter-inspired accessories, and I will point you in the direction of my archive of tasseled, printed, embroidered, and fringed clutch bags that I’ve seemingly been absentmindedly collecting for at least 15 years. And it was one brand that started the love affair to begin with: Antik Batik! The label that defined the hippie-chic hybrid that I was so obsessed with during my formative years (special mention to paparazzi images of Rachel Zoe’s army of artfully disheveled celebrity clients that fueled it—was I ever so young!) is back.
Gabriella Cortese, whose been pioneering sustainable and ethical slow fashion for over 30 years, is once again drawing on her love for travel—which comes to the fore in her design sensibility, choice of prints and fabrics, and styling. Antik Batik, which was founded in 1992, relaunched last year with a divine selection of dresses, separates, and accessories that help you cheat the appearance of being more well-traveled than you are.
Launched this week, the latest endeavor is a collaboration with Elisa Sednaoui. (The L.A.-based Italian-French-Egyptian model who was definitely another prominent figure in my proverbial aughts-era moodboards!) Sednaoui is now the founder of Funtasia Enterprise, a USA Benefit Corporation which supports and fosters early childhood learning in underserved communities around the world. As a result of their mutual adoration, Cortese and Sednaoui put their heads together to create…
