The 20 Best of Resort 2014
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#20 Narciso Rodriguez
Showing off his talent and love for technically challenging cuts, Narciso Rodriguez proved once again a step ahead, with a collection that considered every little detail. The result? An elegant but very relaxed lineup of shifts, tunics, layered pajama pants, and a favorite black and white striped strapless maxi with endless effortless appeal.
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#19 Vera Wang
While the general feel of Vera Wang's Resort collection veered toward a more tomboy vibe, the looks that most grabbed our attention were quintessential Vera Wang and feminine at best. Take, for instance, this tulle shift embroidered with paillettes, layered over another shift in a delicate dot pattern, a combo of lightness and layering that resulted in ethereal beauty.
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#18 Carven
Kicking off Resort with a kitschy modishness, Carven's Guillaume Henry showed a 60s inspired collection—think zippy colors like ice blue, petal pink and mustard, as well as mod bell shaped coats, simple sheaths and midi lengths. Our favorite? A green satiny off-the-shoulder puff-skirted dress we wish was available during our prom days.
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#17 Prabal Gurung
For Resort, print-master Prabal Gurung veered away from his usual intricate designs and instead showed a more streamlined collection. Showing American sportswear with couture ideals, Gurung showcased elegant gowns with colorblocking detail, long silhouettes, and sporty lines. The finale: a red, black and white satin gown, that immediately conjured an image of a statuesque goddess, begging to be worn by one of Hollywood's leading ladies.
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#16 Giambattista Valli
Embracing ease like never before, Giambattista Valli showed off a much more relaxed lineup for Resort. From leopard print Birkenstocks (bound to be a fashion hit with the all It girls) to bohemian long skirts paired with a basic white T-shirt (an instant favorite), Valli proved that making an impact comes easy to him, whether focusing on casual or couture.
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#15 Alice + Olivia
Whimsical but on a more mature level (think tailored tweed jackets, colorblocked trousers and button down retro-style blouses), Stacy Bendet's latest resort collection for Alice + Olivia felt quite grown up for the contemporary label. But it wouldn't be an Alice + Oliva collection without a few flirty looks, like our favorite, an A-line shirt dress featuring red embroidered lips all over the collar and skirt.
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#14 Marc Jacobs
The Great Gatsby decade resurfaced in bits and pieces in Marc Jacobs' latest Resort collection. Easy glamour all around, from sequined cardigan coats worn over satin chemises to a blue fur coat with white edging cut like a bathrobe and paired with shower shoes (shown), this lineup felt like a natural segue from the designer's fall collection, which also played to the idea of glamorous loungewear.
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#13 Burberry Prorsum
Luxury daywear at its finest, for Burberry Prorsum's Resort collection, Christopher Bailey produced a lineup of sophisticated and sumptuous pieces we all wish would just magically appear in our closets, making chic dressing a piece of cake. Take, for instance, this softly tailored coat done in the most gorgeous stone color atop a sweater-pencil skirt combo paired perfectly with a white mid heel shoe, which if anything like Bailey's previous accessories, is bound to make every fashion editor's top shoe of the moment list.
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#12 Zac Posen
While it's safe to say that for Resort, Zac Posen presented a softer collection (cue the draped ruffles and floral prints done in draping chiffon) than his usual overtly structured pieces, there was no shortage of drama when it came to the designer's eveningwear. Show-stoppers like this lavish dark plum corseted bodice ruffled frock adhered to the Old Hollywood glamour M.O. the designer has perfected.
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#11 Alexander Wang
If there is one contemporary designer you can always count on to deliver what his fashion legions want, even if they don't know it yet, it's Alexander Wang. For resort, Mr. Wang, who had just come off of presenting a stellar collection for his other job as Balenciaga's newly appointed Creative Director (no biggie right?), kept in tune with the Alexander Wang downtown girl, albeit a little more feminine this time around, thanks to refreshing doses of bubblegum pink.
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#10 Yigal Azrouel
Who needs to visit the unknown, when you're already so good at what you do? Clearly not Yigal Azrouel, who for Resort continued to deliver what his label is best known for, body-con silhouettes, geometric cut-outs and second-skin leggings. The clear winner: a matchy printed neoprene set with a long-sleeved crop top and a flouncy skirt that gave off an illusion of multiple layers.
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#9 Chloe
For Chloe's latest Resort collection, designer Clare Wright Keller truly nailed the effortless/casual vibe this fashion season has become synonymous with. With a lineup that favored wide-legged trousers, soft layers and cropped tops, Wright Keller paired most of her looks with surf-inspired gold sandals. Prepare to swoon over this laid-back collection, including this unbelievably chic striped number.
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#8 Gucci
Continuing with the theme of relaxed sensibility for Resort is Gucci, who showcased oversized tunics paired with wide-legged trousers and thin cashmere coats that tied up like glamorous 70s-inspired nightgowns. Although Frida Giannini focused on slouchier silhouettes this time around, that doesn't mean that glamour went out the window. On the contrary, pieces like this lurex kimono gown felt extravagantly decadent.
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#7 Valentino
For Resort, Valentino's Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli conveyed a sense of ease through laid-back separates like high-waited denim (a first for the luxury house) and details like fluorescent embroidered flowers, which gave this striking gown a refreshing take on evening attire.
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#6 Joseph Altuzarra
Loosening up from a very sexy Fall collection, designer Joseph Altuzarra took a romantic turn—think billowy sleeves, folkloric prints and embroidered lace separates. The result? A softer, but equally as striking, collection like this gorgeous detailed lace number with an impeccable fit that screams Altuzarra.
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#5 Rag & Bone
Trend hunters rejoice, Rag & Bone's resort collection included of-the-moment wardrobe combinations including textured pieces with fringe, beaded tops and gorgeous toppers. However, our favorite look had to be these velour track pants which looked more polished than casual thanks to its classic wool jacket counterpart and slim leather belt accessory.
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#4 Balenciaga
Continuing from where he left off last season, Wang moved forward with the Balenciaga archives as evident by the rounded shapes and house's signature volume for the Resort lineup. Same goes with the coloring which was kept somber thanks to a restrictive palette of white, black and varying shades of gray. But it was where Wang really inserted himself most, like in this midriff baring petal bustier paired with high-waisted trousers, that we couldn't resist gawking and lusting over.
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#3 Oscar de la Renta
Never short on embellishment, Oscar de la Renta, presented a gorgeous lineup both for daytime and evening. But true to de la Renta form, it was his dramatic gowns, like this indigo blue column with jet beading down the front, that proved the most striking.
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#2 Chanel
Unlike most designers and fashion houses, Karl Lagerfeld forgoes the concept of pre-collections, which for the most part act as pre-cursors to Fall or Spring. Instead, he shows full blown collections—80 looks in all—that are on par with his usual Ready-to-Wear lineups. While there were so many exquisite looks to choose from, we found ourselves doing extra ab work upon seeing Cara Delevingne work this cruise-inspired belly-baring number.
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#1 Christian Dior
For Christian Dior's Resort collection, Raf Simons presented a spectacular sleek vision, where futuristic movement and art interacted to form gorgeous avant-garde looks we can't wait to see on and off the red carpet. And while there were plenty of contemporary pieces, like metallic tap shorts and floaty sundresses accented with silver zippers that had our undivided attention, we were truly blown away by this simple and elegant dress Simons paired with graphic sporty heels.
