Douglas Reker Fall 2009.

Simply put, New York designer Douglas Reker creates modern, wearable womenswear with an emphasis on rich textures and prints. But the beauty of his designs lies in the details. Take, for instance, a stunning lace dress from his latest collection; close inspection reveals 35 miniature, camouflaged figurines.

“I try to come up with an original concept for each collection, and I don’t really pay attention to trends,” Reker explains. “It’s more about high-end design at contemporary price points.” For the Spring 2009 debut of this eponymous line, Reker explored the concept of picnics in a painterly way, using woven fabrics and subtle prints against white fabrics. Cutouts in the arms of an angel-winged dress and the crisscrossed fabric of a pair of tailored pants recall picnic baskets, while printed plant motifs appear to crawl up the edges of otherwise minimal silhouettes.

His Fall 2009 collection, entitled “Tiny Things,” was primarily inspired by miniature figurines, a topic which in less able hands would have resulted in kitschy proportions. “My mom collects miniatures, so that’s probably where I initially got it,” Reker says. “I asked her to take pictures of her favorite pieces and send them to me so that I could create graphics and prints.” Reker further refined weaving and printmaking techniques for the collection, splashing dresses, jackets and blouses in mostly dark hues accented with bold blues and yellows, and layering scalloped edges or lattice-like fabrics. Reker, who has been working as a textile designer in New York for the last few years, knows a thing or two about printmaking: “I love print. It’s a great way to bring color into a collection. And the easiest way to give your clothing individuality.”

Currently juggling a full-time textile design job with designing his own collection, Reker works out of a basement studio near his home and produces his collection locally in New York. Despite the small scale of his inspirations, the designer has big plans for the future. He will begin working on Spring 2010 and is hoping that his line will one day grow into a full-time endeavor with a corresponding full collection (he currently produces 15 pieces a season, a number of which were picked up by Barneys for Fall 2009). As for his ideal customer, Reker divulges, “I would love to see someone like Tilda Swinton in my clothes. She has a super sense of style. I think my clothes also have a sense of humor, so I could see someone like Selma Blair or Parker Posey in them. Whimsical and happy girls.”