RENÉE SS27: ‘Blue 47’

Photography by Bridget Yassme

When 1202 MAGAZINE last visited RENÉE—a brand rooted in Black cosmetology—for FW26, designer Camryn McClain told the magazine she had finally reached the point of exploring fashion and design on her own terms. The brand’s SS27 collection, then, sees McClain in full bloom.

“I’m a very selfish designer,” McClain says, unassuming despite her height, as models and attendees inadvertently pushed her against the white walls of the bustling Lower East Side gallery where her SS27 presentation, Blue 47, was held. “I make things I want to wear or want to see other people wear.”

The collection starts with a trio of nightlife rompers—in orange-red and hot pink, ice blue and canary yellow, and lilac and baby blue—inspired by a green romper McCain made for a night out, posted on a whim and overnight becoming her first viral post.

Similarly, her latest collection, Blue 47, is a joyful rainbow explosion inspired by the vibrant blue of Barbicide—still set to the design codes and emphasizing sustainable deadstock materials that RENÉE customers have come to love.

The drama of a blue maxi dress featuring the designer’s signature contour braids is punched up with metal braid cuffs. In another bra top and maxi skirt set, the crocheted braids stripe across the blue base fabric in alternating lines of blue, orange, yellow, and purple.

Photography by Bridget Yassme

“I wanted to have more fun this season,” she says, who worked with stylist Isaiah Dorty to introduce found objects into her presentation: CDs as earrings, beaded and braided hoop earrings, tie heels with beaded straps, giant plastic bangles. 

But Blue 47 is not just fun; you can also clearly see the designer’s growth. McClain introduces more complex draping with a powder blue mini dress, featuring a belly-button deep V-neck, fabric gathered across the hips, and a brooch of colorful hair beads.

Elsewhere, McClain designed a harness of sorts, designed for layering, complete with ropes of mismatched beads attached to a vibrant blue rope-as-neckline. McClain even departed from her classic deadstock cotton with a take on capri jeans featuring embellishments of contour braids.

“I really like the sexiness,” McClain says, who cites Tom Ford as a big design inspiration. “I like to show off my body and have fun with color.”