What do Japan and the Midwest have in common? Denim and bandannas, for starters, both of which featured prominently in Sea s new collection. Designers Sean Monahan and Monica Paolini have established a feminine, folksy aesthetic that lots of women can relate to, but for Resort they were thinking along more androgynous lines—namely the denim-clad greasers in The Outsiders. Don t expect Ponyboy s cuffed Wranglers or cutoff denim vests, though. A recent trip to Japan got the duo experimenting with complex new treatments and washes, like a screen-printed bleach pattern on a collarless Japanese denim jacket. Denim is a top-selling category for the brand, but Monahan and Paolini tend to avoid jeans, instead focusing on less conventional items like jumpsuits and dresses.
The bandanna print (which was actually a less-Western mix of paisleys and florals) was also lifted from their time in Japan. The designers found an old bandanna in a vintage shop and thought it lent the perfect touch of Outsiders-era Americana to their denim, lace, and eyelet textures. The silky print showed up on billowing shirtdresses and a scarf tied around the neck, but also informed a densely woven jacket with cream fringe along the seams.
