Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim are in the unique position of experiencing this moment from two very different perspectives. As co-creative directors of Oscar de la Renta, they have the established infrastructure and cachet of a heritage label with a global footprint (and an Amazon Luxury Stores deal), while Monse is still more or less a start-up compelled to be creative with its resources. Instead of rushing to complete their resort 2021 collection this summer, they chose to release the images closer to the in-store dates and took advantage of the extra cushion of time to change how they ship their fabrics and samples. Kim explained that on the normal “fashion calendar,” it’s impossible to ship by boat—the most environmentally-friendly option—because it simply takes too long. But for resort, she found it freeing to electively wait a few more weeks, and in the meantime, she and Garcia used whatever deadstock fabrics they had in their studio.
There were excesses of raw denim and khaki twill, which happen to be Monse’s best-selling fabrics (used for jeans, trench coats, khaki pants, and the like). They collaged them into jackets, trousers, and asymmetrical skirts, in the Frankenstein’d spirit that’s become Monse’s signature. The opening look resembled a trench coat and a jean jacket cleaved in half and pieced back together, with exploding cuffs and an oversized belt. In such pragmatic, sturdy materials, it felt like a statement piece for shaky times—though Garcia and Kim said they’ve seen an uptick in interest for Monse’s fancier items, too.
Adding their burnished-gold sequined gown to a virtual shopping cart without a single wedding or gala on the 2020 calendar might just be the new “fantasy shopping.” Those who can’t justify taking the plunge on a sparkly dress might be drawn to the simpler columns in black or cognac crepe. And for others not ready to abandon serious comfort after six months of sweatpants, there’s side-slit plaid trousers and a twisted blouse—a high-low, dressy-but-not mix, styled with thick-soled Both sneakers.