Maria Cornejo balances competing instincts in her new collection. On the one hand, she’s committed to responsible design, “getting creative with less,” as she puts it; and on the other, she knows that pre-fall (translation: high summer) is a season for sensual, buoyant, happy designs. That she manages to pull off both at once is a testament to decades of experience, and the intuitive savvy that comes from wearing what she designs. Yes, Cornejo remains her own best model.
The tightly edited collection is a mix of breezy white shapes, many in vintage fabrics she “shopped” from her Navy Yard archive, and bright pops of juicy color in the delectable—and machine washable—Japanese polyester that is a ZMC signature. The most “Maria” of the silhouettes is a wide-leg jumpsuit made in an adventurous multicolor floral jacquard woven with sustainable viscose.
