Mara Hoffman has a knack for maximizing location shoots. So successful was the designer at transforming Atlantic Beach in the Rockaways for her resort lookbook, followers and friends DM’d wanting to know the location of her glamorous escape. “I was like, if you only knew…” said Hoffman with a chuckle. It’s a cute story, but also a kind of metaphor for the designer’s mission to offer responsible designs that don’t compromise on quality or style. Sustainable clothing that doesn’t shout its credentials, in other words.
But credentials they do have. This collection is especially swim-heavy, and that’s because Hoffman is the first designer to use Power Three by Pyratex for bathing suits. “It’s an excellent step forward, it eliminates nylon and polyester,” she explained. “Before 2015 we were using virgin materials and then shifted into recycled polyester and recycled nylon, which is awesome in some ways, not awesome in many ways. For instance, our regenerated nylon is made from ocean and landfill waste, but once you recycle it into a piece of fabric, it doesn’t go anywhere past that, so it sort of stops the system. Also, obviously microfibers, you’re still dealing with them. So Power Three is super exciting and has been a big work in progress for us; it mimics the attributes of your regular poly/nylon-type spandex, and has the same level of longevity, except it’s not using any polyester or nylon, which is a really exciting thing for the swim industry.”
From an aesthetic point-of-view the color-blocked suits felt like a more geometric example of the curvilinear pattern-making Hoffman has been using with her popcorn textured creations. The designer is hoping people will use these swim pieces in their on-shore wardrobes as well; indeed, the “super-sexy” swim looks seem to work with what young people have turned into a year-round “hot girl summer” vibe.
Deadstock fabrics were used for some of the other tried-and-true items. The freshest looking additions, like a striped shirt dress, functioned as cover-ups for the swimwear, which is what really made a splash this season.
