Seasonless is a word Mary Alice Haney uses a lot at her appointments. “We’ve always been a seasonless brand, so the changing fashion calendar doesn’t really affect us,” she said. Haney launched her label three years ago as a resource for the modern, never-not-busy woman—she herself is a business owner, wife, and mother of five, among other things. That doesn’t mean she’s doing jeans and sweaters, though; on the contrary, Haney is concerned with injecting a little sex appeal (and confidence) into our wardrobes. “I still really believe that every woman wants to feel sexy, whether she’s 20 or 60,” she said. “She wants to feel her absolute best walking into a room.”
Given Haney’s mission for seasonless, flattering dresses, it made sense that Resort—a season known for wearability—offered up some of her strongest pieces yet. A fluttery slip dress in a rich, glittering floral brocade had an old-world vibe that was missing in past collections. It could have passed for vintage, but a one-shouldered gown with a hip-high slit in the same fabric was thoroughly of this decade. Where the slit would normally pose a wardrobe malfunction, there was actually an opening around the thigh to step through, so it was secretly secure.
Haney said women “are looking for something different” when it comes to eveningwear, and that applies to her more conservative flared jumpsuit and metallic-striped pajama separates, too. She also knows women want to wear a look more than once, so she designed a few simple orange dresses that reverse to sky blue. They didn’t make the biggest impact, but they’ll open Haney up to shoppers who might shy away from the plunging backs and disco-ball metallics.
