Resort is a fully encompassing fashion moment that doesn’t quite line up with any particular calendrical season. Collections hit the shelves in November, remain trendy until late spring and include everything from warm furs for skiing to florals for a mid-winter beach escape. Resort 2018 is defined by a return to high femininity—in every sense of design.
This season’s shapes emphasize womanly curves and there was no shortage of décolletage flattering pieces. The style could be found in crisp white shirts at GIORGIO ARMANI and in bright, flirty dresses at CINQ À SEPT. Tops and dresses hung off the shoulder, alluding to curves more subtly. Heavy ruching was also a favorite. It’s a foolproof style that flatters almost any body shape, showcasing assets and minimizing flaws. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG had some of the slinkiest pieces but don’t be fooled by PREEN’s more roomy styles—they still drew attention to the all the right places.
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The ode to femininity played largely into colors and patterns as well. This is not a season of minimalism or androgyny. The hues were ultra bright—yellows, limes, striking pinks—sometimes color blocked as seen at VERSACE or completely monochromatic as at ADAM LIPPES. A girl loves getting flowers and the wild and tropical variety fully bloomed on the runways. The prints were big and bright but in no way loungey, island muumuu-style. The garden of ETRO was shown on a sophisticated, silk, handkerchief bottom dress and TANYA TAYLOR had peek-a-boo cutaways at the waist, exposing just the right amount of skin.
Coveted accessories followed the girly theme. No heavy hardware, chunky wedges or monster platforms here. Instead, little, kitten heel morsels with darling bows in saccharine candy colors are the shoes of the season. BROCK COLLECTION went full sex kitten with an open heel and boudoir black marabou feathers. The girliness didn’t stop there. Many were paired with socks, straight out of the yearbook of our middle school dreams—stripy and sparkly, à la N° 21 and PRADA.
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friends but this season she’s more likely to be spotted with mother of pearl. Who can resist this luminous, smooth, round gem? Designers couldn’t and used them with a heavy hand. A cape at CHANEL was completely embellished and FENDI went full glam with an enormous embroidered pearl bow on the back of a 50s style, rockabilly, fur jacket.