Simple, sparse clothing with a sort of earthen feel is what Marina Afonina promises in her Albus Lumen collections. She’s at her best, though, when she takes her brand name—“white light” in Latin—more abstractly.
For resort 2022, there is plenty of sleek, ultra-minimalist ivory and ecru, but her more textured and colorful pieces are the stars. Chunky knits in sky blue and marigold worn with draped trousers look more lived-in and human than some of the beige-y separates on view—especially when the sweaters are worn alone, sans trousers or much else. The draped and ruched tops that scrunch up around models’ torsos are also relatable. As a stylist turned designer, Afonina’s strength is the sureness of her eye; pieces like these prove she has the sureness of hand to go with it.
