Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong may be based in Toronto, but their hearts are in Jamaica. Originally from the island nation, they occasionally fuse a little of its carefree spirit into their Greta Constantine collections, and Resort 2020 proved the right time for a blithe take on luxury. “You can’t help but feel joyous when you look at these colors,” Wong said at the Soho penthouse where they staged a presentation/cocktail hour. “It just puts you in a good mood.” Indeed, the cheerful palette had an uplifting effect: It’s hard to dislike wide-leg trousers in highlighter green or the bombast of head-to-toe blue sequins.
Pickersgill and Wong offered a select number of neutrals, but bold color was the collection’s focus. Self-described “fabric nerds,” they had fun working in a variety of textures. Transparent organdy served to add sexiness to otherwise covered-up gowns with puffed sleeves and Victorian necklines, and silk gazar featured prominently, with little crimson cocktail dresses and magenta culottes benefiting from the sumptuous material’s heft. Ruffles have become a recurring element within the duo’s work, and here they accented bodices and hemlines, providing volume and adding visual interest to monochromatic looks.
Those who love frills and vibrancy will find plenty to enjoy here; those who don’t will have to look elsewhere. Still, the idea of authentic Jamaican resortwear is appealing. Fashion’s ideals of island life are often culled from tourists instead of locals, and the gauzy long dresses that border on caftans feel authentic in a way that many sightseer collections do not. True, you don’t need a sequin jumpsuit to be the queen of Kingston nightlife, but it certainly can’t hurt.
