Wren designer Melissa Coker

Wren’s designer, Melissa Coker, has made the trek from L.A. to share her collection with Gotham’s editors and buyers. Although she has L.A.’s laid-back vibe, she got her start in New York as Andre Leon Talley’s assistant at Vogue. It’s not surprising when she tells me Talley is a delight to work with, and that he is a great supporter of her designs.

The spring Wren collection is laden with fashionable wardrobe staples as well as trendy pieces that foster individuality while remaining wearable. We wander through the pieces and I ask her which are her favorites. Coker replies, “I like the sparkly stuff.”

Coker’s collection favorites: “the sparkly stuff”

Her tone is casual; she’s probably trying to downplay the inventiveness of touches like the leather sequins that somehow have the same reflective qualities as their plastic counterparts. Next we come to two sets of clean denim, free of any bells and whistles in the wash department. I love the look of virgin denim, untouched by complicated dips and dyes. Wren’s denim styles are still quite expressive in their cuts: the current cropped jacket, the short short, and the slouchy, casually cool button-front skirt. She tells me that she rarely wears denim on her own time, but when she does it’s basic Earl Jean washes from the ’90s.

Vintage inspiration is a common thread in the line. One of her best-received pieces is a sparkly gold novelty jacket called the Aya, named after our very own contributor and fashion stylist Aya T. Kanai. The pair of friends hang on the regular in L.A., and Aya provided Coker with a children’s vintage jacket that inspired the best-seller’s design. When I see a dress and a top with “blah, blah, blah” written repeatedly in cursive print, I ask Coker about the story behind the playful series. She has a vintage pillow with the same phrase that makes her smile.

Many designers are overly concerned with celebrity placement; Coker’s relaxed demeanor tells me it’s probably not something she focuses on. She does point out, though, that “there was one week when Katie Holmes wore a different design of mine almost every day.” She still appreciates what that kind of visibility does for her label.

I guess you can say it’s a good sign that as I was leaving, I couldn’t get my future Wren purchase list out of my head. Must-haves: white tank with leopard print, open-back two-tone dress in canary yellow and royal blue, and black tank dress with zipper swirl appliqué — check, please!

Denim designs for Wren, by Coker

Open-back two-tone dress and leopard-print tank

Dresses with zipper swirl appliqué

Wren’s Spring 2010 line is available at Intermix, Beckley (L.A.), Castor & Pollux (NYC), Harvey Nichols

Delivery date: February 1