Do not underestimate the power of the polka dot. The Sportmax design team changed tack this season, swapping the hard edges and haberdashery elements of the Fall collection in favor of something much softer and feminine. It was a positive development. As a brand known for its outerwear (note the great-looking double-face suede coat in tan and black that opened the show), tailoring is often the focus here, or at least it has been lately. But for Spring, Sportmax has embraced the dress.
Silk slipdresses with supersized dots or inset with sheer circles of tulle had a nice sense of ease. Same goes for the V-neck tunics with handkerchief hems that were accompanied by below-the-knee full skirts. Other dresses were draped from circles or squares of fabric, creating flowy, away-from-the-body shapes. Win, win, win. The motif was picked up by Lucite-heeled satin mules accessorized with fur pompoms. Those in particular rated with the Instagram audience.
The polka-dot point had been sufficiently made by the time the show was over—and in all honesty, probably a few looks before then. But even if the Sportmax team could have left a few of the spotted narrow sheaths and spotted pajama sets back in the atelier, a V-neck dress with an overlay in a circle-patterned guipure lace was still a sophisticated, subtle evocation of their idea. All around, a strong outing.
