Carleen founder and designer Kelsy Parkhouse takes you to a Californian poolside in her Spring/Summer 2017 collection. The models stood along the perimeter of a quilted pool, dressed in denim, antique textiles and a pair of Chuck Taylors. Known for refashioning old quilts and textiles into modern silhouettes, Parkhouse took the warm and unconventional and turned it into something fit for the heat.

The collection was reminiscent of the 60’s with mod patterns and A-line skirts, while keeping to a relatively primary color scheme. The patterns were reworked from antique quilts she found on the Internet and at flea markets. The designs allude to the synchronized swimming classes Parkhouse took this past winter. The repetition of synchronized swimming “didn’t come in[to the collection] in a very literal way but it did in a way that makes sense to me,” the designer noted, “That was kind of the headspace I was in when I was starting to pick out fabrics.”

Her time in the pool could also be seen in the cerulean and navy hues of the Cone Denim she worked with. And while denim grounded most of the looks, accents of red (a fabric that is usually used to make shop rags for mechanics), yellow and pink gave the collection some pop. The simplicity of each design let the textiles speak for themselves. Parkhouse let her resourcefulness and attention to detail take the lead this season.

Anna Letson is the Multimedia Editor. Email her at [email protected].