Vettese Makes Bodysuits (& Sex Appeal) Feel Fresh Again

New York Fashion Week is upon us, and as influencers hustle their way into shows and events bring out some of our faves (hi, Alex Consani at Pandora!), many brands will also vie for attention through staged street takeovers and, yes, traditional runway shows. Vettese is a brand we’ve had our eye on for a minute, and they’ve secured a street-style and stage coup before their official runway show with a runaway hit product, the Deep-V Ruched Bodysuit. It’s so much more than just a wisp of fabric — it’s an invitation into creative director Kari Vettese’s universe.

Vettese launched her namesake brand in 2022 with the intent of mixing her Italian-American heritage with damn good partywear. Her signature Tubes pieces, seen on the likes of Kylie Jenner and Florence Pugh, are like if Monica Bellucci washed up on the shore of Capri and went straight to the club. The clothing has an imperfect feel because, as Vettese tells NYLON, “nothing is designed on the computer. I mold the fabrics myself with my bare hands onto the form. The true essence comes through because of that.” Where many designers (who are also male, might I add) say they love the female form, Vettese creates directly on it.

It’s paid off in spades: Charli XCX wore a fluttering miniskirt on the Brat tour, and Jennie has worn runway looks for Blackpink’s Deadline Tour. The V-neck bodysuit, however, is already a cult item, and it’s not even for sale yet. Tyla paired hers with a colorful biker jacket, Bad Gyal wore it with not much else for her Torso-directed “Da Me” music video, and Taylour Paige donned the dress version to announce her pregnancy. The range of bodies Vetesse dresses speaks not only to the impeccable fabric choices for the bodysuits, but also the way she envisions her creations out in real life.

Vettese is a very young brand, and with a place on the official NYFW calendar, she hopes to bring more light to her unapologetically bombshell glamour. Many brands rely on tropes of femininity, but her inspiration is strikingly simple: “I am my muse. I’m always with me, I know me best. and I play the biggest role in my own life.” Who she wants to dress, however, might shock you, reader. Monica Bellucci is on her list (naturally), but she also wants to see Kate Middleton in her designs. (We’re waiting with bated breath for the Princess of Wales to wear a strappy two-piece set.)

While selling clothes is obviously the goal, the more tactile ambitions show her connections go deeper than stretchy cotton. “I cannot wait to create more books and experiences through VETTESE. I think my generation needs this desperately: to collect more real life memories together with laughter and pure presence.” We’ll be watching who shows up to her show for a front-row seat on Sep. 14.