Hot and cold, casual and dressy, for home and away… Resort is a season that caters to very disparate needs; needs far different from those of the elite sun-seekers for whom croisière (cruise) collections were originally devised. The audience for fashion has changed, as has the pace of life, the climate, and even HVAC technology, leaving designers with an almost impossible task. “For us, it’s kind of a funny combo season; people want sweaters before Christmas from a commercial standpoint and then other people want transitioning-into-spring clothing,” Lauren Manoogian said. “It’s kind of fun; anything goes.” “It’s a good Frankenseason,” added Chris Fireoved.
As is her way, Manoogian quietly takes her client to a place apart, an oasis of calm. Rolled hems hint at a more relaxed attitude. Light, semi-transparent knits in what the designer calls a “seasonless weight” let the air in. For all their breeziness, the opening looks are marvels of ingenuity; knit circularly they are seamless garments, even the bubble-skirted hem of look 3. (There’s also a handknit turtleneck pullover that is seamless, the sleeves an extension of the body.) Twisted halter and wrap tops manifest Manoogian’s wish for “everything to be a little bit gestural and kind of undone.” Undone within the context of her confident vision that is.
Other knit stories include “furry” yarns and checkerboard-like patterns that the designer more poetically describes as dimensional “tessellation.” Manoogian’s nod to “holiday” is a deconstructed jacquard knit ski-style sweater.
When it comes to wovens, Manoogian continues to work with the “dressmakers” top, adding cap sleeves and showing it with a beautifully shaped skirt (look 7). A group of paneled looks can be customized in different ways through buttoning, but their volumes might be challenging for some. Blue sky touches enter the picture through blue-washed denim; a group of striped pajama looks in a cotton cupro silk have the fragrance of Morocco.
Abstract is a word Manoogian dropped a few times, and it is best exemplified by a seemingly simple black rectangular dress that drapes lavishly on the body. In the lookbook it slips provocatively off the shoulder. Sturdier and more straightforward, yet surprising here, is a black leather bomber jacket with knit trim made from the same yarn as the sweaters. No ordinary topper, it is crafted by a Peruvian saddler, which gives it a different kind of horsepower than Marlon Brando’s.