Matta

Profile

One-time co-owner of the now defunct Soho boutique Malatesta, designer Cristina Gitti has expanded her line of globally inspired casualwear to include pillows and throws, all of which are on display at her modern, intricately designed retail-cum-office space. Taking its name from the Italian word for crazy and a variation on the Hindi word for mother, Matta designs suggest a little of both worlds: A colorful, silk shawl can be worn as a skirt or, if you want, used as a curtain. Made only from natural fibers and produced in India, Gitti’s clothes favor loose, flowing styles like the knee-length Sera tunic or the Sahara drawstring pants, and sales staff stress that they are perfect for rolling and packing to take on trips to far-flung locales. In addition to her own label, Gitti carries a rotating selection of international designers and accessories, like the graphic-print bags of Orla Kiely and delicate jacquard knit socks from the Japan-based Antipast. — Carolyn Murnick