A Little Romance

Whether it's an historical figure, the latest screen starlet, or a far-flung locale, defining a muse breathes life into a collection. For German-born, New York-based designer Heike Jarick's clothing is all about character, and her Spring/Summer '06 collection looks to the love-struck young Che Guevara for its story and style.

Inspired by the romance between the Argentine revolutionary and the alluring daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, the collection brims with easy-to-wear separates that Jarick describes as "aristocratic elegance blended with masculine touches and a romantic undertone."

A Central St. Martins alumna, Jarick worked in Milan with Krizia and Trussardi before heading to New York in the early '90s. After putting in time at both Anne Klein and Searle, she debuted her own line in 1999. With past collections referencing a broad swathe from A Clockwork Orange and Japanese samurai to the dark spirit of the Grimm brothers, Jarick's current tone is lightened with just a hint of whimsy, one which doesn't detract from the precise construction and refined tailoring of the garments themselves.

Blending young intellectual with road-trip radical, Jarick's "Che" wears a laid-back, white single-buttoned day-tuxedo, lightweight gauzy shirts, and breezy cutoff pants—perfect for love-lorn traveling in Latin America. The earth tones and black-and-white palettes pair well with canvas, linen, and seersucker, and are never interrupted by anything more than a faint yellow stripe or a hint of teal. The result is a look that's polished, urbane, and unmistakably cool.

For the ladies, it's all about sexy silhouettes with a diffident edge. Jarick's "Chichina Loves Che" women's line outfits her heroine in muted chiffon, delicate organza, and lightweight linen. Must-haves include layered buckle pants, a cotton voile blouse with insets hand-crocheted by Heike's mother, Anita, and a flirtatious turquoise silk jersey open-backed dress. Intended to be "indispensable classics," Jarick's hand-ruched jackets and slim pajama-striped pants seem ready to be tossed into a suitcase for a little impromptu rendezvous—road-trip or jet-set, you're covered.

Heike Jarick is available at Dane 115 in New York.

New York-based designer Heike Jarick invokes Che's early love in her men's and women's spring/summer '06 collections.