Veronica Etro’s vision for Resort felt more in keeping with her brother Kean’s menswear than usual. The same ’70s hippie traveler vibe so charming in the men’s collection last week was reprised here, only with a more classic flair. “Going forward, we’d like to have a more cohesive creative approach,” Veronica said. “I’d call it a bohemian-bourgeois collection.” While Kean Etro presented a few guys’ looks on girls, here Veronica infused the sense of romance she favors with a slightly masculine, borrowed-from-the-boys twist.
Travel is a recurring subtext for Etro, a metaphor for an open-minded attitude, exploring and welcoming cross-cultural influences, approached with a cultivated and respectful eye. For Resort, motifs inspired by the Moroccan desert and Berber jewelry were rendered into abstract prints in soothing, dusty pastel tones of sand, shell pink, mauve, and light chartreuse, giving floor-sweeping ruched dresses in cotton gauze, organza, or chiffon a feel of lightness.
Suede fringed belted jackets reinforced the ’70s haute hippie vibe, together with elaborate wool jacquard patterns inspired by Moroccan rugs that were translated into belted cardigans worn over striped masculine shirts or romantic blouses. Continuing with the theme, djellaba shirt jackets in thick textured wool were decorated with patches of floral motifs, and embroidered caftans were worn Talitha Getty–style with billowing dresses in a new, lighter take on the label’s signature paisley patterns.
The contrast between free-spirited nomadism and a more bourgeois attitude played out in ’70s-inspired suits in checkered wool featuring slightly oversized blazers and culottes. Worn with slim-fit cashmere-printed blazers, flared wide-leg denim pants were given a twist of chic, while a mannish pantsuit had a rather conservative flavor, just enlivened by a multicolored checkered wool.
Veronica Etro’s breezy approach felt convincing: Toning down the color palette and introducing gauzy fabrics and prints with more delicate designs conveyed a sense of freshness, while maintaining a sensuous haute bohemian attitude.
