For Resort, Jill Stuart envisioned "a sophisticated tomboy with her golden, toned body melting under the sun," she said at a studio preview. A "cruise" outing in the truest sense, the new collection was full of breezy, lightweight fabrics such as crisp cottons, washed chambrays, and soft linens ideal for a vacation getaway or balmy days—that explains why Stuart couldn t wait to re-create the new samples for her own summer wardrobe.
While the contemporary designer is best known for her ultra-girly wares, she struck a cleaner, more grown-up note here with standouts including a boxy poplin camp shirt paired with matching cuffed shorts, and faded indigo surplus jumpsuits. Those comparatively casual pieces ultimately felt fresher than Stuart s signature frilly baby dolls, but she certainly didn t abandon femininity. The clingy knit bodysuits layered underneath several looks added a sleek yet sexy edge to the mix, as did borrowed-from-the-beau button-ups in pinstriped silk and a black cutout bra top styled with a pareo-like wrap skirt. All in all, the lineup scored points for its relative restraint and suggested that Stuart is headed in a promisingly pared-down direction.
