There’s a calming effect to a visit with Connor McKnight. It’s not just his clothes, but the designer himself. McKnight radiates a serenity that pairs well with the nonchalant modernity of his collection. To put it plainly, McKnight is a pretty chill guy.
That could be why he built his new collection around ease. “I’m leaning in,” he explained. “Now that I’m 30, the challenge-just-for-challenge’s-sake doesn’t really resonate with me.” He can say that again. As we get older, we tend to get better at choosing our battles and taking the path of least resistance. It’s not about coasting through life, but about learning. “I’m getting better at identifying what is working for me and letting that become my focus,” he said.
Menswear is one of those things. While McKnight has expanded into womenswear little by little, this collection emphasizes his menswear sensibilities. “I think people see me as men’s first, and that is something I can lean into because it comes easier to me,” he said. He plans on carving out the space for more expansive offerings in the next couple of seasons, encompassing his menswear and some women’s-specific looks with sizing that is interchangeable, “but I want to give that a little more time to develop,” he said.
As that marinates in the background, McKnight has also embraced his sense of play. He doubled-down on his signature crop silhouette with high-waisted trousers and funky cropped knits and blazers, but added a longer leather jacket “to speak to those who don’t love the crop.” There’s a roundness to his collection, with bubbled hems created by drawstrings and with curved gusseted pockets that have a softening and modernizing effect on the often austere tone of his clothes.
Stemming from his knack for working with deadstock fabrics, McKnight cut pants and jackets out of repurposed military tents and camping bug mesh “I see people like transparency these days!” he laughed, adding, “it’s a fun process, there’s a pre-worn aspect and texture to the clothing that I’m really into.” McKnight’s clothes generally come with a lived-in patina, and this extension allows for more novelty and depth. The plan is to offer them as part of a direct-to-consumer expansion, and work with interested retailers to sell exclusive versions based on the materials he can find. But all in due time. The hunt and the process, McKnight said, is part of the fun.
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