With so much time spent at home this year, it’s inevitable that designers are finding inspiration in their own surroundings and possessions. Raquel Allegra went through an old memory box of concert tickets, band T-shirts, souvenirs, and programs from exhibits she’d seen as a child, and one in particular stood out: a brochure from the traveling King Tut exhibition circa 1979. It sparked a desire to visit Egypt, a place she’s never been; the fact that it’s out of the question at the moment made it all the more enticing.
Until international adventures are safe again, Allegra can at least dress the part; her pre-fall 2021 collection was packaged as a “staycation to Egypt.” Her signature drapey, layer-able silhouettes don’t change dramatically from season to season, so themes typically manifest in colors and patterns. A hieroglyphic print inspired by a vintage find appeared on jumpsuits, joggers, and T-shirt dresses, and she made “tourist tees” with the pyramids and King Tut’s headdress on the chest. A cheetah print alluded to the pharaoh’s famous pets, but wouldn’t register as “Egypt-inspired” at first glance.