As the industry increasingly shifts away from the label of Cruise in favor of Resort, Julien David has decided the former sounds more fun, especially because cruisers are a type of skateboard and the Tokyo-based designer has been collaborating with Quiksilver for his men's range. David isn't much for literal, though, so this collection was neither a nod to skaters nor floating cities: It did, however, project a leisurely vibe via a lively mélange of materials.
Passementerie wound continuously up and down nearly every inch of tulle on a double-breasted jacket, shift dress, pants, and crop top so that the white relief resembled scribbles. There were "mutant daisies"—colliding blooms of dévoré cotton on a nylon base, which were worked into a breezy, vented shirtdress. Marinière stripes interspersed knit and organza. The laminated terry sweatpants would be a boon for rainy walks. Add the indigo-dyed waffle top spliced with organza—transparency being a recurring motif—and you had a packing list for a Tyler Brûlé-approved getaway. Buoyant padded skirts notwithstanding, these clothes were impressively compact—none more so than the netted top, now a Julien David signature, which he embroidered this season with tiny white diamonds. Even the parka (in cool cotton canvas) and denim (in softened cotton linen) seemed light and trimmed down, as if shedding their winter weight. You needed only to touch the black perfecto to conclude its interlaced bamboo washi (yes, Japanese paper) was leagues lighter than your average lawn chair—or leather.
David said the backdrop—a collage of touristy pamphlets printed in pink—captured the kitschy aspect of cruise that appealed to him this season. But as a whole, the collection had the opposite effect; it just coasted on its cool.
