Tailor Made

Limited-edition pieces made with upcycled vintage fabrics

Written by Charlotte Bryant

When Ryan Shand couldn’t find pieces that suited the sensibilities of a not-yet-30 female in a senior management position, she created her own. “As a young professional, I am constantly looking at who inspired me,” explains Shand, 29, who had held positions at both Saatchi Art and Honey. SHAND’s eponymous women’s wear line—designed in a home studio and crafted in Los Angeles—features pleated vintage men’s trousers, altered to fit women, with silk paneling, antique military buttons sourced from around the world, and boxy blazers with oversize shoulders. The details are all indicative of how the designer herself wishes to be perceived—bold and brave with presence and power, like the women who have influenced her designs. The Hall, a mustard suit, is named for an ABC executive, and others in the collection honor celebrated designer Nina Freudenberger and Shand’s mother, Susan. Originally from Santa Barbara, Shand pursued her career in Chicago and Los Angeles before she realized that any professional limitations she had placed on life here were mental. The influence of the Central Coast’s natural surroundings is evidenced in her warm color palette, while her garments’ sophisticated tailoring harks back to Santa Barbara’s old Hollywood connections. Shand also casts an eye toward sustainability, with her use of dead stock, upcycled fabrics, and reworked vintage pieces from around the world. Available online and at The Shopkeepers. SHANDLA.COM.