Fashion

Exploring Emerging Brand Land of Distraction's Creative Focus

Talking with the LA-based brand that mixes places, people, and past to create an authentic aesthetic for now.
clothing apparel person human overcoat coat

Contemporary ready-to-wear brand Land of Distraction burst on to the scene only last year, but has already managed to capture the attention of fashion fans, including the New York Times. With only two collections in (the latest of which was just shown at New York Fashion Week), its story is already pretty well known: founded by Danita Short, and designed with Design Director Christian Juul Nielsen, Land has a distinctly ‘70s vibe, inspired by Short’s childhood in rural Canada.

“My [family] farm was 30 miles from a town of 1000 people. I always grew up quite simple, and secluded, and we had to entertain ourselves and be really creative,” she said of her youth. Growing up with 8-track players, playing dress up in her grandmother’s clothes, and the imagery and music her parents cultivated shaped her aesthetic, giving the brand’s nostalgic elements an authentic feel. “Those kinds of things always stick with me.”

Look_8_LandofDistraction.jpg
Look_1_LandofDistraction.jpg

The resulting collection features a range of day and outerwear pieces that are minimal on embellishments, but are luxurious in their textures. There’s a quiet sophistication to the clothes that at first give off a much more rock-and-roll vibe.

Though there seems to be a heavy focus on where Land has come from, and who they are now, that doesn’t mean Short and Nielsen aren’t forward thinking. If anything, they seem to be taking a slow-but-steady approach to growing the label (despite what their out the gate success with the press might suggest). Fans can come to expect season-less product drops to keep things fresh, and perhaps even capsule collections in the near future.

1 / 3

“We’re fine to just put a brand out there [that is all about] what we feel we would like to see people wear, and what we think is nice,” said Nielsen. “This is what we do, and this is what we stand for, and we hope that people are going to like that, obviously.”

“[We’re] staying strong to our vision that we set out,” added Short. “I think right now, especially in the beginning, it’s really important to stay true to yourself, and stay honest, and not let the noise get to you, and what other people’s opinion’s may be.”

Look_4_LandofDistraction.jpg
Look_5_LandofDistraction.jpg

Recommended posts for you