BED|STÜ's SS20 Havana Collection

March 19, 2020 By Alexi Tolosa

Life Looks Better in Color

Founded by the Spanish in 1519, Havana is the capital city of Cuba. Because of its location between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, it became a central hub for the Spanish conquest of the Americas, and grew to be the largest commercial center of the country.

As expected of a 500-year-old city, Havana boasts one of the widest diversities of architecture styles in the world, ranging from neoclassical to modernism. As the city expanded westward, distinct districts in the city began to develop, stemming from Old Havana, constructed in the highly ornamental neoclassical and baroque styles of architecture, to Vedado, the urban business district, as well as other smaller, suburban neighborhoods. Of these, Old Havana is the most renowned area, rich with history, tradition, and culture.

Havana’s aesthetic qualities are reflected in this season’s colorways, reminiscent of the textures and vibrant colors of the architecture, including a special collection of our Artisan finishes inspired by Old Havana’s colorful doors and textures of peeling paint found on doors throughout the area.

LOOKBOOK

As much as we would have loved to go to Cuba to photograph the collection in the beautiful city that inspired it, it wasn’t feasible for our team. Luckily, another great option was a little closer to home. A hop, skip, jump, and boat ride away from us was Avalon, located on Santa Catalina Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park just off the coast of Southern California.

A fresh pair of BED|STU + you = endless possibilities. Explore a few themes of the collection below, along with our styling

Strappy sandal HILDA was made for soaking up the sun

Havana Days

Pieces in this theme are meant for urban exploring or meeting up with friends, combining a mix of street style and functionality.

If we’re being honest, we’re really excited for sandal season, for so many reasons: sunny days, warm weather outings, and for the release of new styles for spring! HILDA is one of these new styles, perfect for soaking up the sun with its adjustable buckled straps and a cushioned sole. We wanted to complement the mustard yellow finish of the sandal, so we went for striped shorts with a coordinating color palette, paired with a white, square neck bodysuit from Free People for a fun, casual look. Our Mustard Rustic finish for spring is a bright neutral and can be paired with lots of different colors, so try HILDA with these high-waisted denim striped shorts from Urban Outfitters, these pinstripe cotton shorts from Amuse Society, or mix it up with these boho floral patterned shorts from Free People.

Cleaning your leather shoe before conditioning and polishing is vital to extending the life of your footwear

Havana Nights

Made for going out (in addition to dressing down, because we love versatility), these dressier styles are perfect for date night, enjoying live music at a venue, or club hopping.

We’re suckers for a good wing-tip, and LARINO WING II’s fresh new colorway for spring is no exception. This classic style features hole-punched details lining the seams of the upper for a decorative touch. We’re letting our shoes do the talking here, so we styled LARINO WING II with slim fit chinos and a plain, organic cotton tee from Scotch & Soda to create an understated, comfortable look that’s perfect for chilling in a lounge whilst enjoying live music.

Using a quarter-sized amount of conditioner on your application tool is the ideal amount, but it is better to use less than more so you do not oversaturate your leather.

MARIE is the transitional heel you’ve been looking for. This peep-toe sling-back is built with sustainably harvested Chilean pinewood and has metal grommets accenting its veg-tanned leather upper. Go from daytime to dinner date with MARIE, paired with a cropped blouse with dolman sleeves (we like this from Free People) and ZARA light-washed mom jeans.

Havana Museum

Think “wearable art.” PS: they’re a limited run.

Our IMELDA wedge heel is a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship, made with our signature veg-tanned leather and built with a sustainably harvested Chilean pinewood sole. The arching cutout adds another level of design to the shoe and is meant to be the statement piece of your OOTD (so instagrammable!). We styled IMELDA with a white cotton baby-doll from Amuse Society, simple and lightweight for warm spring weather while letting IMELDA do the talking. This particular dress is no longer available, but we suggest this very similar dress from Lulus, or this off-the-shoulder cotton long sleeve mini dress from Free People.

Another one of our spring season wedges, DESIREE, is the epitome of the Havana Museum theme and a true head-turner. Constructed with the BED|STU quality and materials you know and love, we took it a step further and designed the wedge into a wearable sculpture with a spherical ornamental element, creating a cutout under the arch of the shoe. Easily one of the most unique pieces in the entire spring collection, we balanced DESIREE with lightwash denim and a vintage crocheted tank top. The tank top was truly a unique piece, so we'd like to challenge you to knit your own, or try this equally beautiful crocheted sweater from Free People

Havana in The Streets

Sneakers and sandals for people on the move (whether it’s work or play is up to you!)

With a new mixed-material upper, MARK marries traditional style and modern technology, with its XL EXTRALIGHT© outsole made from industrial plastic waste. You can dress this classic up or down, keeping it subtle or going for bold. We got a little edgy with MARK and went bold, taking inspiration from 1950’s Cuban fashion, styling it with Scotch & Soda striped, slim fit trousers and a simple, organic cotton tee.

Havana City Scapes

Inspired by the contemporary parts of Havana and made for the confidently fashionable, these are transitional pieces for day to night.

HERMIONE is one of our classic slip-on sneakers, but we gave it a special look for spring. Our Artisan Finishes (link) use our signature techniques and layers of vibrant colors to create looks that pay homage to the beauty of the unique, weathered, crackling paint of the doors of Old Havana. We styled HERMIONE in a simple and easy day look with a one-shoulder white tank top (try this one from lulus) and ZARA high waisted denim, tied off with a blue scarf as a belt.

Old Havana

You know them, you love them, and we didn’t want to leave them out. Core classics get a fresh look for spring.

We love a sleek aesthetic, but we also love pieces with texture (it’s all about the balance!). Enter REPEAL, a mixed-material oxford with a full-grain leather upper and Viking suede vamp, and subtle stitching details found around the body of the shoe. We’ve continued with the 1950’s styling theme with a pair of cotton tapered pants, a plain, organic cotton tee, and a vintage woven button up (we’re digging Avanti, a company specializing in retro, authentic Hawaiian shirts). If island-themed patterns aren’t your thing, try these abstract patterned shirts from Urban Outfitters (this one from Rolla’s or this one from UO’s in-house brand), or go on a thrifting adventure to find a unique vintage piece of your own!

We’re excited to share these new styles as they're released, so check them out on our New Arrivals pages!

By Alexi Tolosa

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SS20: Havana Collection

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