The first look at Maria McManus’s spring runway show, held at a gallery in Tribeca, was a classic khaki trench coat. Except, to further emphasize the extra attention to detail that she’s known for, it was shown inside out. The cotton lining with contrasting black seam binding seemed as purposeful as if the garment was made to be worn that way. After the show, when the designer stepped out in front of her tableau of models to speak about the collection as she is wont to do, she also described its styling as a way to inject new life into the things we already have in our closet. “We don’t always need to buy new stuff,” she said.
The surprise this season quickly followed: a sleeveless black velour tunic with white crochet trim, worn with a long striped skirt. McManus doesn’t typically favor embellishment, and the look had a tactile quality that felt refreshing within her brand’s established DNA. It was inspired by an Irish linen tablecloth made by her Aunt Bibi that her mom had sent her after the last show. “It was all linen handkerchiefs embroidered together with macramé and crochet,” she recalled. “I’m not a super floral crochet person, but I was like ‘OK, this is meaningful.’”
This handcraft feel continued with other full knitted macraméd looks, made by female artisans in Bolivia. An oversized square-shaped polo tunic and matching long skirt in a rich shade of burnt sienna had a louche feel in the way they bounced around the model’s body. Pieces in a silver viscose poly blend also added a tactile element, as if they were hammered metal. Little structured caps—some of them hand-embroidered—by Heather Huey completed the looks in a way that bridged the fantasy aspects of what a runway show can be with the down-to-earth elements that characterize the designer’s vision.
Elsewhere, McManus’s classics were all present. A swingy long black knitted dress had a tighter weave at the bodice that created a trompe l’oeil effect, while a simple black button down shirt had a strong, structured shoulder that added a certain amount of gravitas to the black trousers—no belt—it was casually tucked into.
