Kendal blouse and Leslie pant in Chilled Ivory, $675, and Mackenzie dress in Copper Flame, $955
Caroline Ruder knows a thing or two about working fast. “I pretty much taught myself how to sew overnight,” she jokes. At just 25 years old, she’s already shown collections at Vancouver and New York Fashion Weeks, and made headlines in British Vogue and Forbes. Now, fresh off the heels—or in Ruder’s case, Tibi boots—of a successful spring/summer collection, the designer is gearing up to launch the next wave of her eponymous Caroline Ann. Collection.
Caryn top in Windswept Sand print, $295, and Drew pant in Vivid Teal, $525
For Ruder, the decision to jump head first into pursuing her dreams came only after realizing that she could pursue fashion right here in her hometown. After a short stint in Tuscaloosa, Ala., she returned to the city to enroll in Savannah College of Art and Design’s graduate program. While her experience at SCAD was a “creative whirlwind,” it didn’t lack direction. She went into the fashion program, where a class assignment that required her to develop four original outfits laid the groundwork for her first collection—talk about A-plus work.
Mackenzie dress in Copper Flame, $955
Like their creator, the designs don’t hold back. Each piece is created with what Ruder calls “entertainment factor.” Bold colors flirt with custom prints throughout the entire collection, but the movement created by each piece is the real head-turner. And while her fall collection stays away from the bright tones that dominated her spring release, it still possesses the feminine whimsy that has become the brand’s signature. Says Ruder: “The core philosophy of the line is that you can turn any day into a special occasion simply based on what you’re wearing.” @carolineanncollection
Kendal blouse in Seaborne Blue/Scattered Sand Print, $435, with Riley Kate skirt in Scattered Sand/ Burnished Copper, $725
Photography by: Wedig & laxton
