Resort 2013

A recent trip to Istanbul inspired Michael Kors to pour rich finishing touches onto the sporty, minimal clothing that make up his Resort 2013 collection. "Whatever you think is glamorous jewelry in the rest of the world is considered daytime" in Istanbul, Kors said, which may explain why he used gold chains instead of straps on a cherry red swimsuit — or why he dotted coat collars, sandals, and evening bags with a lavish allowance of white and yellow rhinestones. The collection would be plenty glamorous without the embellishments, thanks in part to all the gold fabrics Kors used. There are a coat, dress, and pants in a black-and-gold ikat pattern, along with a patterned gold sheath dress, several pieces rendered in gold lace, and full-length golden gowns. Still, Kors's dedication to making simple clothing as luxurious as possible is expressed best in a blue snakeskin coat adorned with a wide fur collar.

In the same week that they won the CFDA Award for women's wear, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen delivered an endlessly elegant Resort 2013 collection for The Row. The offering features a strong assortment of outerwear, from a wool coat in lavender to fur-lined parkas and blue vinyl-treated trenches. But there's no shortage of pieces ripe for warmer, sunnier climes, like a gauzy cropped tank tops, sheer shirts, and skirts of varying hem heights. The designers said they looked at pictures of fisherman when they were designing the collection, but other than a cozy turtleneck paired with an elaborately embroidered cream coat — creating the effect of an oversized fisherman's sweater — the nautical influence wasn't translated too literally. Instead, the fluidity of the sea is captured in easy fabrics and pared-down tailoring.

Francisco Costa ventured a bit outside the minimalist box for Calvin Klein's Resort 2013 collection, adding prints and patterns to his traditionally monochromatic color assortment. The show opened with a double-breasted jacket over a skirt — both rendered in a soft yellow and white print. That look was later joined by a jacket and dress in pale taupe python and a series of garments decorated with dots of varying size. In between, Costa was sure to feature the kind of crisp tone-on-tone looks the house is known for: a white bandeau top and skirt worn under a long-sleeved chiffon dress, or a deep green dress with athletic-cut arm holes, for example. Costa's readiness to brush up against the confines of minimalism — without stepping outside of them — resulted in a collection that felt decidedly modern.

Marc Jacobs cited Portland, OR, and Tokyo as reference points for his Resort 2013 Marc by Marc Jacobs collection — and both cities' respective influence was plenty present. It made for an intriguing fashion mashup, one that was heavily peppered with Jacobs's signature thrift-shop eclecticism. There were military anoraks in washed-out denim, crewneck sweatshirts in jumbo stripes, cargo pants in camo-floral prints, and — for those who really love nostalgia — Jacobs's grunge-era face emblazoned on limited-edition tees and sweatshirts. The dream of the '90s is alive, indeed.
Photos: Courtesy of Marc by Marc Jacobs