Am I alone in thinking that the preseasons get more confusing year after year? There isn’t even an industry standard for referring to them. Resort is synonymous with cruise and pre-spring. On top of that some designers opt to show pre-fall when resort is usually presented. I mean….
Historical context offers some guidance in trying to detangle this mess. As F. Scott Fitzgerald noted: “Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.” Back in the day, the trends were set by a very few wealthy women, members of the leisurely café society (precursor to the jet set), many of whom maintained multiple homes in various climes or, if not, surely traveled among them. It was to this so-called smart set that designers catered to. Vogue reported on them in December and January issues dedicated to “fashions for north and south,” “southern fashions and winter sports,” “hot-weather fashions,” and “midwinter travel.”
Fashion has always been aspirational, but it hasn’t always been global or inclusive. The industry has retained nomenclature relating to an old world while expanding its reach geographically and in terms of customer base, amid advances in technology (like air conditioning and central heat, not just marketing) and climate change. Not only is there, proverbially, always a Fashion Week somewhere, but designers are speaking to a worldwide audience where almost every kind of weather is happening at once. The upshot is that resort, with its association with sandy beaches and blue skies and sea, isn’t always easy breezy but makes space for holiday parties and slopeside style as well.
And then there’s the matter of retail. These precollections sit longest on the selling floors without going on sale, so they can’t be too trendy but they still have to generate a lot of buzz. To that end, luxury brands have started taking their shows on the road. Whereas the client used to travel, now it’s the brand that goes to where the archetypal customer of yore might have.
I found my way out of this maze with a music metaphor, likening the precollections to a greatest-hits album or an LP with bonus tracks. Some brands, like bands, even went on tour: Gucci to Seoul, Chanel to Los Angeles, Max Mara to Stockholm, and Louis Vuitton to Isola Bella in Italy. Many designers told me they revisited bestsellers or further developed ideas for resort, and let’s face it, when you go to a concert, you want to hear the classics sometimes as much as, or more than, the new material.
This mix of familiar and novel was exactly what the resort 2024 season delivered. The tendencies toward draping, mermaidcore, and utilitarian details we clocked in the spring 2023 ready-to-wear trend report were back, as were the blown-up proportions and New Look–like silhouettes from the fall roundup. This was mixed with some topicality, like Barbie-friendly pink and, no surprise, quiet luxury.
We’ve chosen to focus on the 11 resort trends, from pieces like the omnipresent tank top (or shape) to more directional concepts, like garments that are convertible and thus can be worn in more than one way. As the oceans fill up with plastic, an idealized life aquatic continues to fascinate designers, who are leaning into references to sea life and wet looks. Minus the tail, the archetypical mermaids—like Barbie—are known for their curves, and designers continue cinch waists with echoes of the ’50s or ’80s. Also favoring the waist and nodding to Martin Margiela are pretty tops that follow the shape of a dressmaker’s form.
Countering the short, pleated miniskirt with its association to schoolgirl uniforms—and Sailor Moon—is the longer, straighter pencil or secretary skirt that might hint at a secret or double life. The denim jacket was also remastered for resort. There’s definitely an undercurrent of kink in designers’ use of fetish-y rubber and latex or shiny coated materials replicating that look. Evening capes offer a more straightforward interpretation of glamour, while the cape options for day are cozier and more bohemian. There’s nothing soft about metal—gold and silver were everywhere this season. Fashion has historically associated silver with (retro) futurism and technology, so it’s not so surprising to see it gleam forth at a time when new digital tools—like AI, ChatGPT, and deep fakes—seem set to rewire the world as we know it.
Middle Ground
The cinched waist has a tight hold on fashion: Barbie can relate.
Class Cutups
Miniskirts maintain their prevalence. This time around they reference school uniforms—and Sailor Moon.
Changing the Blueprint
Don’t call it classic. Designers shrink, splice, and trim the denim jacket in exciting new ways.
In Good Form
Tunics and tops follow the curves of a dressmaker’s dummy and, in so doing, pay homage to Martin Margiela.
A Life Aquatic
Resort 2024 is wet and wild, with designers making reference to scuba and mermaids.
Double Duty
Thinking about how to add value, designers are focusing on convertible garments that can be worn in different ways.
This Is Hard-Core
Silver and gold gilded garments deliver a polished look.
Inner Circles
Capes for day and capes for night swing into sight.
Think Kink
Aimed at an adult audience are garments made of latex and coated fabrics.
Tanks a Lot
Substitute one of these sleeveless tops for a button-down, and pair it with a ball skirt or casual shorts.
The Write Stuff
Pencil skirts sharpen—and lengthen—the silhouette.
