Certain destinations strike a chord with designers. Fashion Week cities like Paris and London regularly serve as the inspiration behind collections, but in recent years Marrakech has emerged as an equally familiar reference point. The Moroccan city’s architecture and Zellige tiling are unmistakable, and many attempt to pay tribute to those motifs—how many runway shows owe their existence to Talitha Getty? For Josie Natori, who centered her Resort offerings on Marrakech, the challenge was finding a fresh ways to interpret the well-loved theme.
Since repositioning her eponymous line as ultra-luxury, Natori has focused on bringing the best in fabrications to her audience, and the sumptuous textiles allowed for several riffs on geometric patterns that echoed the look of decorative tile work. Black-and-white silk tops with belted sashes and day dresses featured the evocative print, as did an embroidered day dress and lightweight coat. Lace meant to echo arabesque shapes made its way onto puffed sleeves and hemlines—a simple touch that made the all-black pieces feel summery.
Lingerie is essential to Natori’s brand DNA, and the addition of two lace mini-dresses brought a bit of sultriness to the collection. Still, the overarching mood was minimal and understated. The decadent bohemian flavor typically associated with Marrakech may have been missing, but Natori’s core clientele is unlikely to complain.
