Sun-kissed Scots are a rarity, and so is talent like Jonathan Saunders'. Just back from Mexico, the tanned Brit exuded calm and confidence at Milk Studios, where he presented a return-to-his-roots collection that jettisoned Fall's rigid "total look" and let some light in. The results were magical and the editorial response immediate—retailers, take note.
For this Resort lineup, which he deemed rich in "color and graphic elements," the designer literally went back to the drawing board: The watercolors he did on graph paper in the studio turned into a neon-shot grid jacquard that was sewn up into neat city dresses. Layered prints—chiffon was floated over silk—created a sense of depth and movement. "Easiness is the key word," Saunders said. Expansion is another: The designer launched scarves, knitwear, and T-shirts for Resort. Intended to "open the line up to new markets," those additions will also allow customers to interpret the clothes in their own way—the tees can be worn as easily with jeans as with one of Saunders' ruffle-edged chiffon skirts.
