Whether thanks to ongoing experience, valuable feedback, or increased confidence—likely all three—Anais Mak is finding her groove. For Resort, she has provided existing Jourden enthusiasts with pieces that build upon her irreverent approach to ladylike dressing. She included a broader selection of non-patterns—dresses and shirts in white poplin enhanced with flounces of lace; or in black nylon with ruffled plackets and peplums. Such a comparatively practical grouping was well done and will surely please her retailers. By doing this, she could go extra-bold elsewhere, whether a neon pink crochet nightdress or shimmery pointillist-patterned pants with snaps up the sides (word has it that Gigi wants a pair).
But could it be that Mak has also reflected on how her interest in subverting elegance can be communicated in a way that’s not quite so ingénue? The final grouping of looks would suggest as much. She reintroduced the synthetic fil coupé striping from previous seasons, only now in tone-on-tone hues of champagne and cloudy gray. The result was refined and grown-up, particularly as a cocktail dress or full-length skirt paired with a simple cropped crochet top. Some of her volumes remain a little tipsy; and the twist of an offset ruffled hemline can only have impact for so long. Yet old customers and new will likely be attracted to a faded degradé effect featuring more of that transparent fringe—let’s call it film coupé!—that she applied to a flapper dress among other pieces. It felt optimistic in a subdued way. It also conjured up a rainbow latte.
