Despite the travails of the past year, Elie Saab never stopped believing in the power of fashion—“and all the work around [it]”—to evoke a “beautiful spirit.” If only the designer’s positivity were communicated by his models, who remain unsmiling although the sun is out and the flowers are blooming. In any case it would be difficult to outshine the saturated primary colors Saab used generously here on pieces like a yellow caftan dress and flowing cobalt blue evening looks.
The designer says he’s always pushing forward in terms of palette and technique. For this resort collection, he called out the use of micro embroidery on peek-a-boo pieces that revealed a glimpse of thigh or torso without employing slits or cutouts. He also emphasized his logo’d accessories, hence the plethora of bags, belts, and whatnot.
Saab’s name is synonymous with big-G glamour and he’s been increasingly trying to translate that into daywear; this effort remains a work in progress, despite the addition of a jogger styled with a baseball cap. Casual is a relative term in Saab World; it’s best translated by a relatively understated and chic look consisting of a metallic knit short-sleeve sweater, with a coordinating striped, pleated skirt light enough to catch a breeze.
