Runway Feed

Emilio Pucci

Peter Dundas' mission for Resort was twofold—to take the Emilio Pucci girl to the seaside and to firm up the new image that he began establishing at the house for Fall. The second goal informed the first: Even the beachiest of looks—rolled-hem shorts and an eagle-print T-shirt, say, or a floor-skimming cotton jersey tank dress—had a graphic, sexy, rock chick sensibility that meant they wouldn't be out of place on the city streets. Dundas continued to play with the zigzag print that he borrowed from the founder's 1957 Palio collection, but he also added one of his own to the mix: a shell pattern that managed to evoke palm fronds on a button-down blouse paired with high-waisted, pleated pants. Applied to the layered chiffon skirts of a bandage-bodice gown, that same pattern started to resemble the provocative work of H.R. Giger. Dundas has the house heritage and the attitude thing down cold—not bad at all for his second outing at the helm.
—Nicole Phelps

Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani continued the exploration of eighties style that he began in earnest with his Fall collection, except this time around he did it with bright colors and bold geometric prints instead of his accustomed shades of gray. It made for a lively change of pace that might win him some new converts, and at the very least, these clothes should appeal to his many fans' youthful sides. It's hard to resist the allure of a purple polka-dot print mini-caftan and its associations with the Italian Riviera and other glamorous destinations. But for those not quite ready to don an electric blue shorts suit or a bustier dress with a panel of fireworks sequins on the front, there were some pinstriped pantsuits in the mix. Take note, though—the pinstripes are pink.
—Nicole Phelps

Marni

"She's a kooky, really rich girl, who likes to play a little with couture pieces but mixed in a young way, slightly haphazard and mad." That was Consuelo Castiglioni's party line on the Marni girl she envisaged for her Resort collection, though you could say that same description fits the Marni girl pretty much any season. There was the same attention to fabric research in silks that look hand-printed, for instance, or in a tweed tulle shot with Lurex. And there was the same vintage-y feel in a dress, say, with pintucked bodice and plissé silk, or in loafers worn with deliberately baggy socks (very Mary McCarthy). But, if anything, the seductive Marni madness was more muted than usual. Delightful details like chalked-on pockets and lapels for cashmere knits were still there, but the subtext of the collection was complement, not clash.
—Tim Blanks

Giles

It's all go in London. Pixie Geldof, hotfoot from Glastonbury, had just rushed round to Giles Deacon's studio in Brick Lane to model his Resort collection in an orange doll wig. Katie Grand, Deacon's friend, stylist, and the editor of Love (etc., etc.), was dressing her while simultaneously counting the days until her wedding to Steve Mackey in upstate New York (she's wearing a made-to-measure Azzedine Alaïa dress). And Deacon was buzzing on the news that he's a) got a new Italian licensee, and b) won the French ANDAM award, which means not only oodles of euros, but also that he'll be showing in Paris in the fall.

On the rail—and on Pixie—it was all polish and pragmatic pieces, the kind of range Deacon says he's only now able to achieve with Castor S.r.l. "There are 30 pieces, with a couple of repetitions, so 60 in all. We're being asked for daywear much more, funnily enough," he said, "And for the first time we've been able to do things like work out what our great trouser is going to be. Hardly anyone does them these days because it's really hard to make trousers. But now we can." The Giles pant—high-waisted, cuffed, and with a slight flare—hits a neat summery equilibrium between casual and formal.

The line also has plenty of Deacon's signature sheath dresses, the best being the "Razor" in pink and silver lamé decorated with lines of anatomically provocative curvilinear overstitching. His proper-looking, ladylike tailoring, made slightly sporty with "super-locked" edging, comes in a silk and nylon mix to give structure without weight. It's all very grown up, though Deacon swears his inspirations still come from some funny homegrown sources. Part of the collection, he said, "came from a John Lewis pillowcase." The result: a drape-y georgette square-cut, slightly asymmetric T-shirt dress that comes in sophisticated taupe or smothered in a squiggly pop print that instantly had Geldof jumping about as if she were still at Glasto.
—Sarah Mower

Just Cavalli

Just Cavalli's nominal safari theme was justification enough for the use of the house's signature animal prints. For Resort, a zebra pattern was worked up into daywear and evening gowns that will ring up for under $1,000. The only surprise here came from an anomalous navy shirtdress that was surprisingly office-friendly. But the fact that this collection toes the party line should appeal to main-label Cavalli lovers who are watching the bottom line.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Akris

Akris is a name on everybody's lips these days because these are clothes that seem especially right for the times. Beautifully made and trend-resistant, they're the very definition of investment dressing. Albert Kriemler wanted his Resort collection to be a feel-good one—literally. To that end he focused on fabric development, creating featherweight jersey for smocked dresses that softly caress the body. A neat chiffon bodysuit—worn with a tailored coat and jeans—had a wafting neckline. Giving shape to these light fabrics were tucked sleeves that resembled lobster tails—a good thing, it turned out, when worked into jackets and a galaxy-print dress.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Chado Ralph Rucci

The MO at Chado is the careful refining and evolution of Ralph Rucci's now signature techniques like suspension and slot seams. His customers like it that way (and so, apparently, do aficionados of Vogue Patterns. Rucci's are the number one seller in all categories—who knew?). Loyal clients and sew-it-yourself types won't be disappointed with Rucci's Resort collection, but he might win some new fans with his uncharacteristically sunny palette. Chiffons in "Courréges pink" (the designer's term) and lemony yellow were tucked and stitched into whispers of summer dresses, and there were some piped linen numbers—one with a sort of tennis vibe—that took the country club look up at least one notch. Resort found Rucci on his game.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Sonia Rykiel

Following the departure of creative director Gabrielle Greiss, Sonia Rykiel and her daughter Nathalie are once again alone at the helm. Perhaps inevitably, the Rykiels chose not to push boundaries for Resort but to focus on the house's DNA. That means knitwear, of course, done here with a younger and more overtly sexy client in mind. A striped dress, for example, had a flirty cutout back, and there were floral pants to pair with boyish blazers. Smocked dresses had a vaguely seventies vibe, while crystal-strewn knit dresses mirrored the embellishment on Rykiel's popular Domino bag. The season's slogan read garçon manqué—tomboy—inspired by Madame Rykiel's tree-climbing youth.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Philosophy

Alberta Ferretti carried a bit of the safari theme from her main line into her younger, flirtier Philosophy collection. In addition, she played up a Moroccan mood through print, collarless silhouettes, and the layering of girlish, summery dresses over Ferretti's version of chalwar pants. That last bit of styling was unexpected and effective.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Moschino

There was not a trompe l'oeil conceit in sight at Moschino for Resort. Instead, the focus was on solid, salable clothes. In addition to a slew of drape-y dresses and structured coats, there were lots of chic pants looks for urbanites. Many of the slacks had the slouch and ease of pajamas—perhaps here was the signature Moschino twist.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Malandrino

"I wanted to keep with the vocabulary of femininity and sensuality for Resort," said Catherine Malandrino, explaining the MO behind her latest, knit-heavy collection. Executed mostly in deep purples and black (enlivened in some cases with texture), there was plenty of ornamentation and lots of intricate stitchery. A cocktail number with a white-piped side ruffle had sure sex appeal, as did some of the knit dresses. These varied from fuller-skirted models with a whiff of vintage about them to hot little numbers that fit like a carapace and offer what Malandrino calls "soft protection" as well.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Moschino Cheap & Chic

Moschino Cheap & Chic's Resort collection was a riot of print, color, and pattern all competing for attention. A pair of graphic black and white dresses cut through the noise, as did a rickrack-trimmed trench and a pretty floral print that was whipped up into appealing separates. What held this busy collection (mostly) together was a sunny sense of fun.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Lutz & Patmos

Bucking trends, Tina Lutz and Marcia Patmos went all-out for Resort, showing their first ever full collection (i.e., not just the knits they're known for). This is a big step for a small brand, and it was executed with confidence and clarity. Now the customer who falls for a cashmere cardigan with chain details at the neckline, a featherweight pullover, or a cashmere robe coat with overlock detailing won't have to search elsewhere for just the right legging (Lutz & Patmos' are thick and tailored), skirt, or harem pant. Also new this season was the mixing of wovens and knits—done especially well on a silk-front tank. The duo even threw in some accessories, including finely woven scarves and beaded collars and belts.

Lutz & Patmos' latest guest collaboration—with the model Natalia Vodianova—resulted in an unexpectedly creative garment: a long tube dress that converts into a short funnel-necked number. Fifty dollars of the purchase of this design will be donated to Vodianova's Naked Heart Foundation. Looks like Lutz & Patmos is thinking big all around.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Alberta Ferretti

Alberta Ferretti stayed true to form for Resort, offering plenty of her famous pretty chiffon dresses. There was one significant difference, though: a lower price point. The house is aiming to give its fans a little bit more bang for their buck at the register, and that might be all the inducement they need to snap up a Fortuny-style pleated dress, a beige suede coat with "tribal" embroidery, a belted safari suit, or a flapper-ish, crystal-beaded, dance-the-night-away party dress.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Roksanda Ilincic

Roksanda Ilincic's pre-spring collection is emblematic of the renewed effort London designers are putting into upping their appeal. Until this season, pre- and Resort were pretty much a foreign language to British designers, but now they're figuring out what it all means and how to finesse their clothes in useful ways without dulling things down. For Ilincic, who belongs to the international breed of cocktail and evening designers who might find themselves in a bit of a corner now that the party boom is over, that means "trying to reach a wider audience with clothes you can use for more than one thing, changing the fabrics so they could be worn for day or evening, and adding pants, liquid jersey T-shirts, and jackets with the big shoulders I can't help doing."

Apart from considering how women might use, say, her long, lavender charmeuse dress—"it would look good on holiday with flat sandals or bare feet, or with done hair and heels for a Christmas party," she said—Ilincic has devoted the last year to improving the quality of her pieces. The new lightness and lingerie-fine finishes on her dresses, along with the weightless structure of her tailoring, represent a long stride forward. Her signature raw edges are resolved now with fine bindings of black lace—a subtle move, perhaps, but a smart one. In straitened times, the charm of amateurism, she's realized, has had its day.
—Sarah Mower

Basso & Brooke

With Michelle Obama as a new fan, Bruno Basso and Christopher Brooke are about to get an attention boost. So it was good timing that their Resort collection offered an accessible introduction to their world. Simplification of silhouette and their signature prints was the key. "We wanted to find a balance between reality and fantasy," said Basso. In sharp contrast to the hyper-rococo engineered prints that established their reputation, print master Basso exploded microscopic natural images of, for instance, ice particles to create psychedelic prisms that loaned themselves well to Brooke's easy shapes. There was a vibrantly cartoonish quality to a printed T-shirt dress, and the cartoon worked just as well with the duo's new jeans range. At the other end of the sophistication spectrum, Basso & Brooke's recent mastery of digital printing on sequins meant they could offer a whole new glamour option for daywear. A sequined tee paired with navy shorts might just about make it into Michelle's resort closet.
—Tim Blanks

Richard Chai

"I'm not a designer who wants to be in an ivory tower," said Richard Chai in his gallerylike studio. Still, he added, Resort's challenge is to find a way to "make something commercial artful and interesting." He succeeded in doing so by using textural fabrics, applying origami-pattern pieces to neat dresses, and keeping things graphic—and not too sweet—by trimming romantic florals with bands of black. A shorts set and a banded print minidress mixed pretty and cool in the right proportion, and captured the "easy, breezy" feeling Chai was after. With highlights like those, this confident collection should please customers and editors in equal measure.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Matthew Williamson

Resort found Matthew Williamson in his element: bold prints, tribal beading, barely-there hemlines, and breezy silhouettes, all designed, according to the program notes, for the customer off to her next "hedonistic glamour destination." But for those whose idea of an exotic getaway these days is dim sum in Chinatown, there was still plenty to covet: namely buttery lambskin biker jackets, silk ombré blouses and harem pants, and a top-notch version of the now-ubiquitous chambray jumpsuit. Williamson amped up accessories this season, and to strong effect. Technicolor totes in dizzying kaleidoscope patterns and color-blocked python clutches in Miami Vice hues—priced very competitively, a result of collection-wide reductions—are a fresh alternative to the sensible neutral options we've seen for fall. After all, isn't optimism the new black?
—Romney Leader

Costume National

Ennio Capasa looked to switch gears for Resort, finding inspiration on safari rather than in the nightclub. A shorts suit shaded from black to light gray as if faded by the sun, and a black micro tire print decorated a white shirtdress. Sporty pieces like vests, cargo pants, jumpsuits, and onesies mingled with the designer's usual sharply cut suits and trenches, which came with hand-finished embroideries on the lapels and shoulders. Trendwise Capasa was on point, turning out wispy dresses in suddenly hot-again tie-dye. But there wasn't anything really boho or hippie here. In the end, this was very much a business-as-usual collection, catering to the city girl with a tough streak.
—Nicole Phelps

Versace

There might be turmoil in the Versace boardroom, but it wasn't present in the house's straightforward, if bite-sized, Resort collection. There were two stories here: prints and embellishments. Classic tailleurs, offered in solids and color-blocked combinations, were given some oomph with the application of shimmery faceted gemstones, oversize buttons, or the more humble silvery snap—used decoratively rather than functionally. Additionally, an archival jewel-pattern print from Gianni Versace's day was cut into cheerful summer-bright separates and a swingy little dress. Whatever the back story behind this return-to-basics collection, it was a welcome palate cleanser.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Vera Wang

Vera Wang cheekily called Resort her "Calypso-meets-Intermix" collection. What the reference to those eclectic boutiques means is this: Not only are there more colors—safety orange, peacock blue, chartreuse—than in the designer's last several seasons combined, but the line is also chock-full of item-y pieces like slouchy, whisper-thin cardigans; lace shorts; and all manner of T-shirts and tanks for her customers to mix and match. The inspiration, Wang explained, came from her daughters, who are fond of wearing long tees over short shorts, and the lineup did have a more youthful sensibility than her runway shows. Save for the daisy chain necklaces, embellishments were for the most part pared down, and her signature voluminous silhouette has been likewise streamlined. The key piece was the one Wang herself wore to the CFDA Awards earlier this week: an olive gold sequin racer-back tank dress over a sleeveless white cotton T-shirt.
—Nicole Phelps

Louis Vuitton

The French coquettes on Louis Vuitton's Fall runway have set off for the beach. They've traded in their kinky above-the-knee lace-up boots for swashbuckling gold sequined open-toe numbers and replaced their satin and lace with nautical-stripe bustier dresses and bikinis or crisp khaki safari jackets and wide-leg, deep-cuff trousers. Bags, belts, bracelets, and shoes are trimmed with rope details, but that's about as overt as the Riviera referencing gets in this enjoyably saucy collection. A black silk plissé cocktail dress with a plunging neckline edged in gold embroidery and a tuxedo jacket that turns to reveal a sexy cutout back look just as likely to turn up at louche Paris hot spot Le Baron as they are on the boardwalk in Saint-Tropez.
—Nicole Phelps

Missoni

At Missoni, Fall's clever, engaging focus on layering was carried over to Resort, albeit to heavier effect. Perhaps this was the result of designing for "military-tech mermaids," as the show notes put it. Still, should mere mortals pick this collection apart, they will find a small arsenal of keepers: space-dyed cargo skirts, a khaki coat with drawstring details at the waist and sleeves, and lots of mesh-y textures. New for Resort was an open honeycomb knit that lent the collection some necessary lightness.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Roberto Cavalli

Would you expect a Roberto Cavalli Resort collection to be anything but colorful? In addition to a revamped archival butterfly print (cut into pants with palazzo swing and paired with a silky khaki-colored blouse), Cavalli's latest outing included a galloping zebra pattern in blue and white and a blown-up gem number, which required no further accessorizing. Still, this joyous riot of color and pattern was grounded in solid basics and a sharp all-white pantsuit. The collection may not have explored new territory, but in the end it was strong on wearable day looks, and that felt right for Resort.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Tory Burch

Inspiration is a funny thing. Iris Apfel was top of Tory Burch's mind when designing her "global traveler" collection, but the designer admits the clothes look nothing like the white-haired icon's wardrobe (nor were they really intended to). Rather it was the idea of Apfel—"she's divine, so unique" Burch says—that led things forward. Rare birds like Apfel are sure to appreciate the white tweed suit with appliquéd chiffon details, but the main story here was Burch's take on khaki, suede, and leather. Worked into daywear pieces like a laced safari top, paper bag-waisted shorts, and a bow-trimmed miniskirt, they looked cool instead of trad and exuded the "laid-back ease" the designer was after.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson

Richard Nicoll

Edwardian photographs of Tahitian women and a gossip magazine's snaps of the Sarkozys' visit with the Spanish royal family made an unlikely merge in Richard Nicoll's mind for Resort. "I used the idea of Tahitian sarongs crossed with bits of royal regalia," he said in his London studio, pulling out what he called a tiered grosgrain grass skirt, made of petrol-colored layered tabs cut like medal ribbons. The South Seas references come built into the draped dusty pink seersucker candy-stripe bustier of a jumpsuit Lily Allen has grabbed for her appearance at Glastonbury—the Erickson Beamon brooches are optional. Since Nicoll's never really one to obsess too much over his starting points, though, the real gist of his lineup is the slightly sporty ease he's made a signature. Striped ticking crisply patched onto the front of canvas tailoring carries over from his hit Fall collection, while his graphic cutouts reappear as veiled silver Lurex velvet placed on a georgette shift. Meanwhile, there was plenty of the square-cut silk dresses Nicoll's followers love. Essentially giant T-shirts, they have enough presence to transit coolly from beach to office.
—Sarah Mower

Peter Jensen

Peter Jensen pulled a rabbit out of a hat for his first Resort collection—or to be more exact, a bunny from his back catalog. "I had the little rabbit as a graphic in my Mildred collection ages ago. Then I thought we should bring him back as our logo," he said at a charming presentation in the quirky St. Barnabas House in London's Soho—an eighteenth-century relic with the atmosphere of a local church hall (with teatime Women's Institute-worthy Victoria sponge and cherries laid on as refreshments). Turns out the rabbit got its hands, or rather paws, ears, and whiskers, on Jensen's clothes as well as his new swimwear line. A white T-shirt dress with a rabbit-shaped bib has loose ears that tie behind the neck, while a sweet sixties bikini comes with an ears halter. And just for fun there are giant pink, blue, and black plastic bunny sunglasses too, but, Jensen promises, "we're working on ones you could really wear."

The Danish designer had his model pose in a sitting-room set wholly drawn in black marker by his illustrator friend Charlotte Mann. The looks he presented—simple half-flounced crepe dresses and sweet pea-colored sequin cardigans, as well as a shift in a print featuring ants carrying off rings, strawberries, and a Scrabble tile—should be surefire love objects for teen/early twenties girls on the lookout for something cute but not saccharine to spend their babysitting money on. Happily for Jensen, that market is one of the few that are still bouncing along as if nothing too grim is happening in the outside world, so kudos to him for the focus.
—Sarah Mower

Christian Dior

"[Mitzah] Bricard is one of those people, increasingly rare, who make elegance their sole reason for being," wrote Christian Dior in his autobiography, Christian Dior and I. How could John Galliano resist a muse like that? For Resort, he revisited the patternmaker-turned-atelier power broker's beloved leopard spots and her favorite shade of lilac, whipping them up into fifties-ish pieces like a belted sheath, a three-quarter-sleeve pullover blouse worn with a black leather pencil skirt, and a swingy knee-length coat with contrast lapels. Pearls figured large in Bricard's repertoire, too, so the models wore multiple strands with everything from houndstooth skirtsuits to softly draping floor-length evening dresses. Galliano's light touch, especially on a graceful nipped-waist black lace dress, made the retro shapes look modern.
—Nicole Phelps

Barbara Tfank

For Resort, Barbara Tfank drew inspiration from a recent Palm Springs sojourn. Lemon yellow, apple green, and hot pink fabrics echoed the town's groovy sensibility, while the California-modern Kaufmann Desert House influenced the clean lines of Tfank's timeless shifts. The designer focused her attention on meticulous tailoring—pleated dresses fit glovelike on the model and a swing-back coat flowed gracefully off the body. "Even during a recession I had to focus on quality textiles," she explained of her use of sumptuous double-faced satin and silk twill. Still, Tfank smartly offered versatile pieces suitable for day-to-night dressing and year-round wear. Speaking of nighttime: The designer will be pairing up with Adele again, outfitting the singer for an upcoming Hollywood Bowl concert with Etta James.
—Romney Leader

Marchesa

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig have moved house; they're now based in spacious digs in the Starrett-Lehigh Building on West 26th Street, and they feel that the relocation has affected the collection—in a good way. "We have three times the space and our output has tripled," Chapman said. You wouldn't know that from the carefully honed edit the designer did before showing her Resort collection, though. She explained that she was inspired by the Marchesa customer—be that a starlet, great-grandmother, or teenage promgoer (all actual clients, Chapman swears)—as well as by the label's own DNA. "We went back to our Grecian roots," the designer said as Iekeliene Stange posed statuelike in an ethereal ivory number. There were also sculptural cocktail looks and plenty of beading and feather embellishments. If some of this bordered on tame (there were none of Fall's extreme volumes here), the collection was also chock-full of sure crowd pleasers.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson