Chris Benz's Studio: Teen Vogue x The Coveteur
"Season after season, Chris's collections are always one of my favorites," explains 's fashion market editor Mary Kate Steinmiller. "I just love his sense of color and rich fabrics. His collections are never too serious and always have a spark of quirk and whimsy. It's the perfect mix of textures, colors, fabrics and inspirations." Steinmiller was excited to take Erin Kleinberg, Stephanie Mark and Jake Rosenberg of fashion website The Coveteur inside Benz's showroom since his design space is "almost like a gallery." After spending a day having fun exploring the designer's studio, Steinmiller is even more excited to have Benz's collection in her own closet. On her fall shopping list? One of Benz's chunky oversize knits or capelet coats.
1/20"These pieces are from Chris's resort collection which was very 'lady who lunches' but with Chris's typical quirky twist. I love how he took inspiration from interiors fabrics for this collection. The metallic brocade pieces are personal favorites." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
Designer Chris Benz and Teen Vogue's fashion market editor Mary Kate Steinmiller.2/20The New York City-based clothing designer opened up his showroom to Teen Vogue editor Mary Kate Steinmiller and The Coveteur website team.
3/20"Can't you just picture a 1950s receptionist wearing this sweater and answering the rotary phone? Such an amazing marigold color and the perfect crop cable knit cardigan." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
4/20"A perfect mix of blues! Its as if Chris was inspired by the pottery in his studio when he designed this sweater. It's clear Chris's colorful outlook on life influences his interior design aesthetic as well as his work." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
5/20"Uncovering the magic in a designer's mind is as easy as taking a peek at his inspiration board. Chris's reflects his amazing eye for color, texture and fabric. I love the mix of celebrity images, editorial tears, art, fabrics, color, sketches and vintage prints." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
6/20"This looks like 'lights, camera, action' on a 1960s movie set. I can imagine the starlet strolling in to the costume department to try on the neon tweed orange swingy dress to get ready for her close-up. The light is an amazing piece of 'art' in his showroom." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
7/20"Alejandro Ingelmo and I collaborate each season on shoes, these navy blue basketweave slingbacks are from the Spring 2011 collection, and also double as a resting place for ceramic cockatiels!" -- Chris Benz
8/20"A Spring '11 dress in a saturated orange and yellow tweed. It's brilliant against the Caroline Cherie movie poster. The movie is a French thriller that probably has or will inspire one of Chris's collections, if it wasn't just attractive to him for the beautiful burst of sunshine yellow." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
9/20"Another pair of shoes by Alejandro Ingelmo. The graphic black and white quality of the shoes looks sharp with the stark movie poster backdrop and stacked on top of the black and white photography book." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
10/20"One of my many collections is vintage anatomical models. I love the hand-painted elements and the saturated colors." -- Chris Benz
11/20"It's amazing how the delicate sheer ruffled blouse almost blends into the painting. It takes the pleats of the skirt for you to realize it's not a part of the painting! just pulled this skirt for an upcoming cover shoot...fingers crossed it gets shot!" -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
12/20"I'm constantly on the lookout for new funny objects for the studio. We found this oversized driftwood floor lamp in Brooklyn, and the light at the old Chelsea flea market ages ago. I always try to keep a level of tarnish to everything we have. This top from Resort 2011 echoes the textures of the white furniture in the showroom." -- Chris Benz
13/20"The skirt is one of my favorite pieces from his collection...a richly textured boucle skirt--so chic, yet still playful. I love the composition of the shot, and most importantly that it includes Chris's CFDA award! Chris mentioned he switches up this particular counter space, but I love the current gold and yellow theme. Its also pretty cute that one of his shoe's is just hanging out in the corner...it almost mis in with the rest of the décor if you don't look close enough!" -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
14/20"I love putting everything I love in frames and tiling them allover the walls gallery-style. It's also super fun to take the frames down and change out the imagery season-to-season, which always keeps the showroom feeling fresh and current. There is a lot of cross-pollination between each ready-to-wear collection, and the interior elements at the office. These three pieces from the Spring 2011 collection almost disappear, camouflaged on the wall!" -- Chris Benz
15/20"The book says '' and it's clear that Chris is inspired by that decade in his designs. You imagine a preppy, feminine teenage girl's room with this photo. It suggests these things belong to her--a perfect little cardigan, sharpened pencils ready for love letters and a dish in which to put her pearl necklace." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
16/20"Looks like our sixties movie star picked a Spring 2011 pantsuit for her film debut! Chris paired this suit with a bright blue piped collared knit for his presentation which made it quite sophisticated." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
17/20"I love these wide leg print pants. The primary color way of the print is particularly on trend. They are minimal and chic in silhouette, but the print makes them cool. When you see them against the linen woven rug, it almost suggests that they would be perfect in a sandal of similar material." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
18/20"We have a terrific collection of antique flower die-cuts in our conference room. They're almost pre-historic in the face of laser-cutting and digital technology as of late, but they're just striking as a design element. This dress from Resort 2011 shows off our love of fabric flowers around the neckline." -- Chris Benz
19/20"Chris has an amazing collection of these metal molds used for making silk flowers. The coolest wall in his studio, and useful tools as well! Perfect for all those silk flowers on his Resort '11 collection." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
20/20"A well-traveled girl always needs a sweater for all those chilly rides on planes, trains and automobiles! Chris's knits are the ideal answer--cashmere, interesting patterns and treatments, and as always an eye-popping color mix." -- Mary Kate Steinmiller
