To reconcile her general dislike for paisley, Joseph's Louise Trotter needed to address it her way. By redrawing and redistributing the decorative droplets, she gave them more room to breathe so their inclusion as her Resort collection's main motif would not fight with the overall mood of polished nonchalance. Top the paisley with a Teddy Boy coat, for instance, and the obvious pajama reference immediately becomes less pronounced.
Joseph may not have a definable identity the way it did two decades ago, but that doesn't mean the brand has lost its way. If anything, Trotter used this offering to emphasize Joseph's strength as a go-to label for well-made, current, key pieces that will make fast friends with the rest of a woman's wardrobe. The most confident examples: a black jacquard parka that cinches around the hood so that it doubles as a ruffled collar, a sleek tuxedo with trousers lean yet forgiving, and a white jumpsuit with a deep V down the front filled in by gauzy organza. The satiny coral tracksuit, echoing the men's collection, was confident, too—it will also be more challenging to wear.
Thanks to the Resort delivery time, the Joseph woman will be shopping for one of the several stacked sandal styles around the same time that the Joseph man will be buying his. Couples can even choose his-and-her cream sweaters. The same cannot be said of the knit shorts; where his are knee-length, hers are knickers.
