As Resort 2014 wraps and designers move on to menswear debuts for Spring 2014, it is easy to identify at least one take away point from the runways – there are quite a number of interpretations when it comes to the style, locales of inspiration, and colour scheme provoked by the idea of “Resort.” Angular zippers, metallics, flower prints, pleats, and oversized fits were some of what embodied Resort 2014 as a whole.
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| Zuhair Murad Resort 2014 via style.com |
This season, the stand-outs for me were unexpected and it took time for me to settle on what I admired most, with the exception of the too-be-expected excellence of Valentino. Zuhair Murad presented a stunning collection with an undeniable air of elegance. Full of crisp creams, whites, and neutrals, colour was also a staple with beautiful, rich blues and oranges found on an array of evening wear. This was hands down my favourite takeaway moment from the whole of Resort 2014. The Zac Posen women felt flirty and fun and I absolutely loved the cascading ruffles on many of the gowns. Moschino offered up a unique collection with a hint of sweetness in the ruffles and cute pea coats. I loved the decision to go with all Asian models at the Shanghai show, standing out from the runways typically dominated by leggy white women. Metallics and flower patterns crossed to create perfect pieces like this dress.
If you’re in search of a designer whose style epitomizes a Resort feel, Tory Burch is your woman. A combination of opulence and exotic struck the perfect balance for destination wear. Embellishments on sleeves, collars, and pockets worked with straw hats and bags, and large patterned carry-alls to create feminine looks with a rich and expensive feel.
Jill Stuart offered up a slew of ultra-femme looks composed of weightless whites and perfect pink fabric flowers to create one of the best collections from the Resort lineup. Alice + Olivia followed suit with adorable nautical navys and sweet feminine prints, embodying the perfect Resort vibe. Rebecca Minkoff was all about colour-infused pattern, flowers, and tiger print. Angular jackets, loose trousers, and transparent accessories were staples in establishing an urban chic meets coastal cool vibe.
Giambattista Valli had me hooked with the first whimsical skirt and wicker basket bag combo – with my preference sitting in the first half of the collection. Soft flower prints, unique angles, and long scarves worn as hair wraps epitomized the perfect looks for garden parties and exotic adventures, respectively. Valentino debuted a set of looks for Resort backed by a simple equestrian meets springy youth feel, with something for everyone. There were lots of loose fitting denim, neon pastels, and intricately embellished gowns. Neon colours were found on classic pieces and paired with elegant accessories for a modern twist to create one of my favourite looks from the collection.
Alexander McQueen felt surprisingly tame and I absolutely loved the safari feel to the first half of the collection. Bohemian notes and a hint of soft, feminine romance rounded out the looks. Likewise, Dsquared² exhibited a similar safari vibe in the pockets and buttons on trenches, skirts, and shorts. Colour was minimal but combined with the elegant and professional air, it worked for me.
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| Chanel Resort 2014 via style.com |
Honourable mentions consisted of both classic favourites like Chanel and pleasant surprises like Jason Wu. While I didn’t love many of the patterns from Chanel‘s latest, it was the cream pieces that caught my eye most. Accents such as heavy feathers and layers of pearls as necklaces and belts were elegant and chic. Despite possessing mixed feelings toward the collection as a whole, the paisley prints with a soft yellow-green base and white lacy linens of Just Cavalli were enough to place these pieces on my list of favourites. At Louis Vuitton, just a hint of the boudoir look that dominated the latest Fall collection remained. Resort was far more clean cut and put together.
The women of luminary Gucci appeared modern and confident, modelling a collection I completely enjoyed browsing. Metallics and oversized pants with a bohemian vibe created the feeling of city chic. The umbrella prints were adorable and sheer skirts perfect for somewhere warm. Lanvin boasted dark, dramatic colour found in paisley prints and on evening wear, allowing the soft white tulle dress and ruched, tiered gown to stand out as something unique from the rest. Embellishments and accessories were super-sized and intense. Bottega Veneta created smart, predominantly casual looks with flirty bits of red and paint-smeared prints on pleated skirts and dresses. The patchwork pieces – like an oversized top in neutral tones – were take-away points for me.
Nanette Lepore brought us sporty edged feminine looks based in beautiful white and blue. As is to be expected, Mary Katrantzou’s patterns were overwhelmingly colourful and vibrant lending themselves to pieces perfect for an adventure in a warm city destination.
Dramatic, deep blues and reds mixed in with lots of pattern formed the backbone for Prabal Gurung’s looks. Though Resort didn’t quite take my breath away in the same vein as the pieces we saw for Fall, the angular flaps on a sleeveless top and dress were favourites of mine and I loved the bursts of yellow that came halfway through the collection. Thakoon gave us his take on classic whites and loose shapes to create a collection which is, as always, nothing but personal and unique. The blue jumpsuit with lace detail was simply gorgeous and my favourite piece. Finally, First Lady favourite Jason Wu created prints for tops, skirts, and dresses reminiscent of palm leaves. Though not typically a favourite of mine, Wu’s latest felt right on target.
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| Maison Martin Margiela Resort 2014 via style.com |
Though I was drawn to some of the dark, unusual pieces from the likes of Margiela and Proenza Schouler, they failed to achieve what I was looking for in a strong collection for the season. Inherently dark and quirky, Maison Martin Margiela‘s emo-esque models displayed a collection limited in the colour department. Though not something I would expect to wear from a Resort collection, it all felt very crisp and I was a fan of the far too long sleeves and extremely tall boots. In the same vein, Proenza Schouler debuted a collection of unique patterns and textures. Pleated skirts in colourless neutral, black, and white blocks dominated their notion of Resort 2014.
Saint Laurent created an edgy cool city vibe in black with sheer blouses, leather shorts, and skinny power suits while at Alexander Wang, pleats and pale pink stood out for me among the copious amounts of leather that just felt too heavy.
In a completely different vein, some of the more classic, colourful takes also failed to keep me inspired. Dior embraced Resort with an abundance of sheer and plenty of seasonally appropriate colours like bold blues, oranges, and yellows. Models rocked a hot pink lip which I loved – happy to see this favourite beauty trend is carrying over for another season. However, despite being perfectly orchestrated – as one would expect from this fashion house – few pieces jumped out at me as things I loved. Oscar de la Renta stayed true to classic elegance with hints of sheer, feminine pink, and basic plaids to create a refined set of looks. Chloe offered up lots of white, lace, stripes, and loose fits. The pale pink jacket and detailed sleeves were favourites. Finally, while Versace is rarely a label of love for me, I was happy to see an abundance of seasonally bright colour throughout the collection.
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| Burberry Prorsum Resor 2014 via style.com |
And finally, the disappointments. Burberry was one of the collections I was most let down by. A far cry from SS 13 and FW 13, I was left feeling uninspired and can’t call myself a fan of the various lace styles. Another contender for my high hopes was Diane von Furstenberg. After a highly impressive Fall/Winter collection full of retro love, my expectations for everything else to follow were naturally somewhat great, leaving me let down. The snake print and lack of colour throughout many of the looks failed to keep me engaged for long.
Long-time favourites Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc were equal disappointments, albeit for different reasons. Though I absolutely loved this 20s-inspired dress from the former, the rest of the collection felt boring in comparison to its one or two standout pieces. Houndstooth and limited colour formed the basis for the latter, with just a hint of a seasonal favourite – metallic – shining through. The dark tone and heavy textures of this collection left me feeling unadventurous. Likewise, houndstooth and heavy quilted jackets set the tone for Balmain’s Resort looks. For me, many of the pieces felt too hipster with looks dominated by denim and overalls and lacking in the sometimes ‘out there’ originality that usually characterizes the label.
Derek Lam’s large loose shapes felt understated and left me unenthusiastic. Similarly, many of Fendi’s Resort pieces left me confused and feeling like I should be en route to a professional office rather than an exciting destination. The peasant blouse and deep orange trousers combo was, for me, one of few looks I felt stood out as perfect for a day of exploring abroad.
Intense blues and greens emanated from classic Emilio Pucci patterns and lovers of colour should look no further. The floor length gowns in bold yellow, purple shorts, and deep coral jackets will have you covered. The embellished seafoam jacket stood out as my favourite take away point from this collection. However, fellow pattern lover Anna Sui felt unadventurous with shapeless frocks and the to-be-expected bold decorative fabrics.