Joseph Altuzarra picked up the Swarovski Award for new design talent at the CFDAs last week, and he earned it all over again with a strong Resort lineup that touched on two developing trends: safari and gypsy. If his breakout Fall collection put the focus on sportswear, the body-defining dress was the beneficiary of his attention this season. Most of them looked as if they were two pieces—a striped chambray tank tucked into an ikat pencil skirt, or a long-sleeved tee with bustier details paired with another slim skirt with an undulating ruffle down its front. All of them were cinched with a belt, some in Rastafarian red, yellow, and green inspired by the new documentary Marley. Altuzarra explained that his clients like the look of an ensemble but appreciate the zip-and-go ease of a single piece. He works harder so they don t have to.
That s not to say there weren t great separates here. A gypsy blouse with sequins down the sleeves and a tweed skirtsuit embroidered with wooden beads both boasted incredible handwork—couture detail but with an artisanal feel. The tailoring was top-notch, too, especially a khaki cape that from the back looked like a sexy structured trench.
