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Plaid Lace Convertible Skirt

$129.00

A Silhouette, in Conversation.

Introducing The Adjustable Architecture Skirt from Empty Reference—a garment that redefines the very premise of a skirt from a finished object to an interactive medium. It is built on a foundational dialogue between two textiles: crisp, graphic black-and-white gingham (100% cotton) and soft, romantic white lace (100% polyamide). These materials are joined not as a single panel, but as alternating, horizontal tiers—a visual rhythm of contrast.

Its true innovation, however, is democratic. Along each tier, discreet tie-fasteners are placed. These are not merely decorative; they are functional portals. By tying the gingham band of one tier to the lace band of another, you actively reconfigure the skirt's architecture. Cinch all ties upward, and the stacked tiers concertina into a playful, short silhouette. Secure only a few, and the hemline becomes an asymmetric, artistic statement. Leave them all untied, and it flows as a classic, tiered maxi skirt.

An elasticated waistband ensures this creative freedom is accessible to a spectrum of forms. This is more than a skirt; it is a toolkit for silhouette, a personal manifesto on the possibilities of a single garment.

🧩 The Blueprint of a Variable Form:

✔ The Transformative Tie System: This is the core interactive mechanism. Multiple sets of ties between tiers grant the wearer direct agency over length, volume, and shape, making each wear a unique composition.
✔ Dual-Material Dialogue: The juxtaposition of structured cotton gingham and airy polyamide lace is a study in textural and symbolic contrast—the defined and the dreamlike, existing in a single, harmonious form.
✔ Elasticized Accessibility: A wide, comfortable elastic waist provides effortless entry and a universally flattering fit, ensuring the focus remains on creative play, not on restrictive sizing.
✔ The Empty Reference on "The Wearer as Co-Designer": We challenge the notion of clothing as a passive shell. This skirt is an open-ended proposition. We provide the vocabulary—the bands, the ties—and you write the sentence. It is an ode to personal interpretation and the joy of real-time creation.
✔ Multi-Tiered Construction: The horizontal banding is essential to the design's logic. It creates the literal "levels" that can be manipulated, and it amplifies the visual interest through rhythmic alternation.

🎀 Anatomy of an Interactive Garment:

The Ties as Kinetic Hinges: Each tie is a point of potential energy. When connected, they become the active joints that reorient the entire structure of the skirt, transforming its geometry from the inside out.
The Materials as a Visual Dialectic: Gingham (order, nostalgia, graphic punch) versus Lace (delicacy, romance, transparency). Their alternating placement ensures the skirt possesses a complex visual texture that remains coherent whether worn long or short.
The Silhouette as a Live Variable: There is no single "right" way to wear it. The skirt acknowledges that mood, context, and personal style are fluid; its design literally embodies that fluidity.

👗 Styling Your Composition:

This skirt is the centerpiece of any look, demanding simplicity elsewhere to shine.

For Architectural Short: Tie all bands up to create a mini skirt. Pair with a simple black turtleneck and ankle boots for a modern, graphic look.
For Asymmetric Statement: Tie only the front or side ties of one tier. Wear with a fitted white tank top and minimalist sandals, letting the sculptural hemline be the focus.
For Classic Maxi: Leave all ties undone for a flowing, bohemian-tinged tiered skirt. Pair with a simple ribbed knit and leather slides.
For Layered Textures: Wear the skirt (in any configuration) under a chunky, oversized sweater or a tailored blazer, playing with the peek-a-boo contrast of lace and gingham against heavier fabric.
Its Natural Habitat: Artistic events, creative workplaces, weekend adventures, travel, or any occasion where expressing a nuanced, personal perspective is valued.