Stepping off the elevator at Highline Stages, guests at Diane von Furstenberg's Resort show were greeted by an enormous set, with walls and floors painted in black and white graffiti and a couple dozen stereo speakers arranged here and there. The tent at Lincoln Center it wasn't, and it's fair to say that the collection had a new vibe, too.
DVF dubbed the show Wrapsody Rap, and her right-hand man Yvan Mispelaere, who has already injected a fair bit of energy and youth into the label since his arrival, said it had a "hip-hop feeling with a romantic edginess." The hip-hop element came across in the loose, almost sporty layers and graphic, matchy/clashy prints, as in the opening look's slouchy green wrap jumpsuit and exposed black bra, or in the show-closing oversize anorak that topped an easy tank and baggy pants. A print that spelled out the collection's title won't make it off the showroom floor, but there were others here that were plenty eye-catching and with more staying power. As for edgy romance, drape-y, fluttery tank dresses (the brand's bread and butter) delivered on that front.
Accessories were no after-thought. Nearly all of the models came out sporting mirrored shades with bold plastic frames, while color-blocked bags, a Cruise trend, were slung across the body messenger-style or toted from the shoulder. They glowed purple in the dark when the lights went down at the end of the show.
