The Elie Tahari woman is loosening up. After seasons of architectural, body-con dresses and graphic prints, this Resort collection embraced all things bohemian. From a supple suede jacket trimmed with lace to a handful of asymmetrical skirts flowing away from the hips, the vibe could almost be described as romantic. But far be it for Tahari to go full-on hippie; like all of his collections, this one was still geared toward the working woman. The designer made his lineup office-appropriate by mixing in classics, like a sculptural glazed tweed jacket layered over a fringed skirt, or a cobalt lace dress under a cargo jacket. That contrast will appeal to more conservative shoppers, but one of the best looks was also the most laid-back, consisting of a slouchy gray turtleneck and a black skirt with an unraveling hem. Every woman wants that kind of elevated comfort.
Elsewhere, Tahari played with the most relaxed fabric of all: denim. It's not traditionally part of his oeuvre, but his customers—and women everywhere, really—are craving it right now. He put his own spin on jeans with a patchwork skinny (dressed up with an appliquéd sheer top in the lookbook, naturally) and a coated black denim jacket with frayed edges. Tahari could benefit from similar experimentation in the future. This collection felt fresher and more playful than a lot of his recent work.
