In fashion, we live in the future. For the last year that’s been particularly true for Helmut Lang’s Peter Do. Resort is his fourth collection for the label, yet his first is just recently in stores. There’s a lot of guesswork and instinct in relaunching a brand, even one owned by the massive Japanese company Fast Retailing, where data points and demographics no doubt come into play.
Whether instinct or the retail picture informed this collection, Do drilled down to the Helmut Lang essentials here. “I want Helmut Lang to reach more people,” he said at a showroom appointment. His first step was to make it feel more casual. The lookbook opens with sweats—not gym wear, but rather slightly oversized, layerable pieces in muted enzyme washed colors. On top: a short sleeve top over a reversible polo-neck long-sleeve one, with another wrapped around the waist; and on bottom: long shorts over pants cut without elasticized hems. Basics but not basic.
The push-pull of simplification and elevation is evident throughout the lineup. A body-conscious dress in ultra-soft (and pill-resistant, he promised) “cloud jersey” can be worn long to the ankles or, with a few adjustments, draped and mini-length. And a cool snap-front denim shirt and jeans with a velvet treatment that gives them a slightly greenish sheen are machine washable, and as they wear and age, Do explained, the indigo of the denim will start to peek through.
To my eye, even the more straightforward suits, with their fine materials and finishings and subtle details (like elasticized waistbands evoking Helmut Lang the man’s ’90s glory days), have a lot of bang for buck. Another fashion truth? It never stops moving, but slow and steady wins the race.