There were seven mini themes nestled within Elie Saab's Resort collection, but no matter. The through-line was clear. The glamour of early 1970s California permeated things, from the palm leaves beaded onto silk tulle to the broderie anglaise gowns that hung away from the body. "Shady days and bright nights" is what he's calling it.
The designer, whose work almost always emphasizes the waist, moved out of his comfort zone a bit, showing caftan and empire silhouettes alongside the more expected pleated-bodice gowns, hip-skimming embroidered jumpsuits, and lace-tipped tuxedo pants. One of Saab's great skills is perfectly executing popular trends, as he demonstrated with one of the collection's hero pieces: a striped ball gown. (It was graphic and eye-catching without looking contrived or too busy.)
Although forever rooted in evening, the brand sees a lot of opportunity in "high day," which is retail jargon for dressy clothes meant to be worn when the sun is still shining. Little lace dresses in fetching colors like beigy pink and rust red showed once again that Saab knows how to make things look just right.
