The sounds of nature have abounded at the shows this season: birdsong, waves crashing. Even a designer as urban-minded as Damir Doma is thinking about the beach. You can hardly blame him: With his signature collection, a lower-priced line, and a men s offering, Doma is looking at upward of 10 collections a year. His modern customer is just as busy, if she s anything like jewelry makers Annette and Phoebe Stephens of Anndra Neen, longtime clients who collaborated with Doma on the show s necklaces and bracelets.
The idea of escape infused the new collection with a subtle ease. Doma s not the kind of guy who makes dresses from striped towels. Jackets sashed closed, instead of buttoned; a halter dress was suspended from a scarf that he wound through large leather grommets; tanks and tees were made from a mesh-like lace, as cool as a breeze. "I would like my woman to breathe a bit more," he said backstage. Making customers lives easier is often code for boring clothes, but Doma s approach to wardrobe staples was unexpected and thoughtful. Denim, for instance, was cut into pajama shapes, doubling the comfort factor. And he romanced other familiar items, cutting a pantsuit in a navy fil coupe or adding sheer insets to an understated little black dress. The athletic ribbed collars and waistbands were a little predictable; sports references are tending to feel played out. Otherwise, Doma s day at the beach was a very pleasant trip.
