CRUISE CONTROL: RESORT 2023 TRENDS
Resort shows are back and stronger than ever as designers are presenting their collections again to pre-pandemic levels. The lucrative season, also known as cruise collections, is a pre-season line-up of ready-to-wear clothing created by a fashion house or fashion brand in addition to their spring and fall collections.
Resort collections were originally created for wealthy customers, aka the jetsetters, as they traveled to warm-weather destinations during the winter months. Traditionally, resort collections offered light spring or summer clothing during the winter months. Today, resort is targeted towards customers who have completed their fall wardrobes and are now looking forward to replenishing their vacation looks. In the United States, resort collections arrive in stores in November and are available for purchase until August, so typically resort collections will sit side by side with the brand’s spring collection, making resort the longest selling season and the most profitable.
In the past, resort collections only offered beach-inspired vacation looks – such as swimsuits, caftans, walking shorts, and little sundresses in breezy fabrics. But today the season offers so much more. For many brands, restricting the resort season to summer staples only does not make financial sense. Today, the season is packed with transitional and seasonless looks to cater to customers around the world. The season gives brands the opportunity to satisfy global customers who travel all the time, as well as the demands of climate change, where in many parts of the winter, there is little to no winter.
Also, designers cannot ignore their global clients, and their biggest spends are in the ever-important Asian and Arab markets. Those consumers need clothes for different temperatures and at different times from the western markets.
Designers at all levels of the market create resort collections, from high fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, and Gucci to contemporary designers like Tory Burch, Derek Lam 10 Crosby, and Gianni. Originally resort collections were created for womenswear, but today, many brands are offering resort for menswear, such as Gucci and Burberry.
The majority of brands presented their resort collections on a smaller scale, with intimate appointments and lookbooks, but there are a few that presented a massive show in exotic locations. For the resort 2023 season, Chanel held its show on the shores of the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel, while Louis Vuitton flew the fashion set all the way to San Diego for a sun-soaked extravaganza against the backdrop of the brutalist architectural masterpiece that is the Salk Institute. Balenciaga’s show was held at The New York Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele timed his ‘Cosmogonie’ show to perfectly line up with a lunar eclipse., thus creating one of the most magical moments of the season. The astronomy-themed show was held in a 13th century, octagonal Castel del Monte in Italy’s Puglia region with a slew of celebrities were in attendance such as Gucci muse Dakota Johnson, Elle Fanning, and Lana del Rey, to name a few.
So, while the resort season is still going strong, here are some of the biggest trends so far:
IN-VEST
This isn’t your grandpa’s sweater-vest. Designers are toughening up their resort collections with cool leather vests this season. From Chanel’s motor cross-inspired version to Louis Vuitton’s futuristic style, these sleeveless toppers will instantly give you street-style cred.
WELL SUITED
Now that we are all heading back to the office, it’s time to re-fresh our suit options as designers are offering summer short suits that are bold and playful. From Chanel’s classic tweed version to Erdem’s embroidered look, these short-suits will keep you cool and looking chic.
SHIRT-CIRCUIT
It’s business as usual as the classic white shirt gets a makeover. From the exaggerated pointy collars at Gucci and The Row, to the ruffles at Prabal Gurung, these shirts are anything but basic.
TAKE A BOW
After all the casual work from home looks we’ve worn for the past few year due to the pandemic, it’s exciting to see a return to workwear, and for resort, the pussycat blouse was all over the runway.
PRIMA GALLERINA
Designers are often inspired by art, but for resort, designers looked to the gallerina for inspiration. These anything but basic black looks will stand out in any gallery space making you the chicest person in the room.
TIME TO SHINE
Silver and gold, can anyone measure their worth, well for resort, designers are playing with the metallic hues for day and the results are intergalactic!
MATCH-SET
Belly-baring tops are still going strong, but for resort, designers have turned the crop top into a matching two-piece looks that is playfully charming.
MELLOW YELLOW
Yellow is the color of happiness, and optimism, of enlightenment and creativity, sunshine and spring, so its only fitting that the hue was found all over the resort runways as we all look forward to post-pandemic life.
So tell us, what is your favorite resort trend so far?
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