“When you’re only wearing two things, they have to be the best.” Nili Lotan’s take on minimalism is based on lived experience—she launched her label at around the same time minimalism first swept fashion. Consequently, she’s less interested in performances of the aesthetic (quiet luxury, camel everything, oversized coats, and menswear trousers) and more focused on what makes the look enticing: “quality and ease.” For resort, Lotan expanded on the tone she set for pre-fall—with ’90s proportions and versatile essentials—and set out to deliver nothing other than sophistication.
For Lotan, the key to a minimalist, essential wardrobe lies in the details. T-shirts are made in semi-sheer silk knits, and are cut with a high collar, ideal for layering under loose cashmere crewneck sweaters and knitted vests; jeans are washed and soft to the touch, as if pre-loved and worn-in; and trench coats and jackets come with removable faux-fur collars for an extra, but optional, feel of luxury. The point, she said at a preview in her Meatpacking District store, is that all of these clothes go together, but they’re special on their own.
But Lotan does make a few strong statements here. The first: Skinny jeans are back. Say what? “We still have the flared and loose fits, but the skinny is coming back to balance the tailoring proportions.” You heard it here first.
