Maria Cornejo’s Resort collection arrives in stores in November, just as the weather turns and the daylight hours start to dwindle. At an appointment yesterday, she explained that she designs strategically for the season, emphasizing bright colors, lively prints, and sparkle for holiday dressing. “It’s things to make you happy,” she said with a shrug.
In terms of seasonal m.o.’s, that’s a fail-safe one, but it’s a modest assessment of what Cornejo achieved here—the “happy pills” print she used for a shirtdress aside. As a female designer, Cornejo is a problem solver, and she’s an expert at everybody’s favorite fashion fix, the jumpsuit. For Resort, she’s done a loose-fitting boilersuit in a satiny navy twill; a more soigné all-in-one in black with a wrap bodice, subtle fin detailing at the hips, and slits up the legs; and a third style in don’t-mess-with-me caution orange. Nothing basic about any one of them.
Likewise, Cornejo designs for women whose elevated concept of holiday dressing goes way beyond the little black dress. The collection’s party clothes showcased a super-sophisticated fabric sense, be it the midnight blue silk plissé separates shot through with golden threads or a black and bronze fil coupe she used for an evening shrug. Here’s another happy-making detail: Cornejo is also expanding her repertoire of eco-friendly materials; this season’s cozy-cool sweaters are made from recycled cashmere.
