A whiff of an ocean breeze blew down the runway at California College of the Arts' senior fashion show this past spring. The wavemaker: 22-year-old Vanina Howan,whose surf-inspired thesis collection, called Seasalt, caught the eye of San Francisco design veteran Basil Racuk. A friendship was made, and a collaboration was hatched.

Fashion designer Vanina Howan at her home in Rockridge

A Berkeley native and current resident of Rockridge in Oakland, Howan aims to lead a no-impact lifestyle that also informs her design ethos—to create clothing that is truly sustainable and conscientious. Her divine 10-piece Seasalt collection, which made its debut on the CCA runway on May 15, is all handmade by Howan using recycled cotton and muslin fabrics. Inspired by Northern California beach culture, the pieces are easy-breezy—you could throw them over a bikini and be instantly brunch-ready.

A gauzy sundress and lightweight coat from Howan's Seasalt collection

The philosophy behind Seasalt resonated with Basil Racuk, a designer also intent upon capturing the NorCal essence, who had been invited by CCA's dean to do a critique with the senior students. "I met with Vanina and she told me what her story was, and I thought it was a really compelling idea for a collection—it’s so here and it’s so specific to what’s happening now within the fashion world," Racuk recalls. Impressed by the final manifestation of her vision, he took Howan on as his protégé, and scooped up her collection to sell exclusively in his 18th Street shop.

Geared more toward fine art and painting in her teenage years, Howan was inspired to chart a course in fashion when she learned of the many real problems facing the industry. "After taking a class with Lynda Grose (an instructor at CCA), I soon realized the real issues of the fashion industry—unfair pay, (poor) working conditions, (unhealthy) treatment of fabrics. These were all issues that called to me."

So, she set out to design and make garments with integrity, taking care to source fabrics from quality mills that treat workers well. (She's even looking into a solar-powered sewing machine.) "It's a lot more than just making clothes," she says. It's about nurturing a safe, eco-friendly process from the start, and also about working an aesthetic that will fit into the lives of Bay Area women for years to come. "I believe in loving what we wear," she says, "and in wearing (pieces) for a long time. I'm trying to bring to the table a comfortable, practical style." 

Howan at work in the CCA fashion design studio

For Howan, each day begins with an early morning cup of chai tea and a pastry at her neighborhood coffee shop, Highwire. She sits with her planner to review the day's to-dos, a list that might include anything from a strategy meeting with Racuk and patterning designs to lunch ("get the fennel salad") at Summer Kitchen on College Avenue.

A glimpse into Howan's day planner

Whatever she's doing, it's working. Just a day after Seasalt made its splash on the CCA runway, Howan got a call from Racuk requesting to carry her line. "I was floored," she recalls. "I couldn't say no. He really believes in my message and has been such a great support. Basil has a very strong voice, and it’s amazing that he’s taking me under his wing."

Howan and Racuk working on a prototype for a new kimono robe

When she graduates CCA this fall, Howan plans to launch a Kickstarter for her own line, Meilleur (that's French for “better than”). "I’m just trying to do the best that I can," she says. In the meantime, she is working with Racuk on a new capsule collection that includes an on-trend kimono robe ("more modest than my previous collection and perfect for the Bay Area woman”). We plan to snap up her pieces now while we can still afford them.  

//  Vanina Howan's Seasalt collection is available exclusively at Basil Racuk, 3458 18th St (Mission), basilracukshop.com

Howan with her Seasalt collection at Basil Racuk

Are you a fan of Basil Racuk's beautiful handmade bags? Get an inside look at the designer's process, here.