June 25: Inspired by the duality of cities on the beach, in particular Rio de Janeiro, Catherine Malandrino's resort 2004 collection has a double personality. She hasn't forsaken her signature studs, zippers and buckles for navy and nautical stripes just yet, but the collection does have a distinctly softer, more feminine feel than her main label, Catherine Malandrino, and the higher end Catherine Malandrino Limited Edition. "This resort collection has a balance between energy and sophistication, a balance between the city and escape," she explained to FWD at her recent Resort 2004 presentation.
The line is all natural cotton and silk, strictly "no synthetics" and is mostly made up of foggy pinks, blues, grays and chartreuse. Pleated chiffon tops with shoulder cut-outs and Malandrino's signature billowy sleeves complement slim-fit and chic cargos with subtle buckles to adjust and fasten. The hardware is certainly still there: a single zipper fastens a soft pink sweater across the shoulder, tiny studs and lace trimming decorate simple cotton tanks and small buckles fasten a blouson jacket.
And it wouldn't be a rock'n'roll Malandrino collection without some leather thrown into the mix, in this instance soft washed leather jackets, vests and skirts in pink and gray give an edge to the urban resort look. Perhaps it's a hark back to her Parisian roots, but more often than not, there's a couple of trench coats in the collection somewhere, and resort is no different. As chic as always, but in this instance minus metal and leather detailing, the trenches are simple and sleek enough for any exotic locale in a rainstorm.
Malandrino is pleased with her tempered, toned down resort look and is expecting some top sellers from the collection. "I think the bright colored blouson jackets, the washed pink leather vest, and the striped pant in silk and cotton are going to do very well. We've had a great response so far." Bureau Report