If you had to compare the recent collections to an art movement, Spring ’17 might have been rococo—lots of pink, ruffles, and embellishments—and the high collars and velvet jackets of seasons past might have been a bit Baroque. For Sportmax’s Pre-Fall collection, the designers mined a more recent renaissance: Dada and Surrealism. Considering the state of the world, perhaps others will follow suit in the coming months; there’s inspiration to spare in the dreamy, antiestablishment ideas and unapologetic approach to color and form.
Jean Arp, one of the founding members of Dada, was the starting point for this lineup. Those familiar with his amorphous paintings and collages will see his influence right away in the curving hemlines, color-blocked knits, and “gumball” buttons. The nebulous pendants and brooches were Arpian, too, in that they could be worn with any look, mirroring the artist’s sculptures with movable pieces you could pick up and rearrange.
As for the bright, naive hues, Arp’s vibrant works feel extra relevant after a couple seasons of bold, refreshing color on the runways. The shaggy Pepto-pink coat in Look 1 will likely be the favorite among Sportmax’s loyal clientele—especially those who want to stand out in a sea of black and gray next fall.
