“It’s Morocco and men’s wear. So a little bit of Ilsa and a little bit of Rick,” Derek Lam noted of his dual inspiration for resort, referencing one of the most famous celluloid glamour couples of all time. Several months ago, Lam happened upon “Casablanca” on TCM. He watched it over and over, and thought, why not? “I feel like everybody tries to start from an obscure reference point,” he said. “I was just like, why not just do something that’s universal, something that everybody knows and enjoys, but reinterpret it?”
Therein lies the key to the consistent appeal of Lam’s work. Whether he’s working a famous movie inspiration or something more arcane, he always interprets it within a context of practical chic. The movie viewing led to a deeper research dive, an exploration of old black-and-white photos of Casablanca itself; hence the mostly black-and-white palette.
That strong neutrality put the attention on the collection’s clean, polished shapes that integrate bold details while retaining a relaxed attitude. Case in point: a white tuxedo, its jacket finished with a black, raw-edged collar and black back panel. The Moroccan inspiration showed up in djellaba references, including great-looking artisanal handknits and crochets with deep-fringed borders. And how does one reference Casablanca without a trench? This lineup featured several, including one without a collar and one with a white back and no sleeves. Play it again, Lam, and make it look new. A tune worth humming.
See More From the 2018 Resort Collections:
Mara Hoffman Resort 2018: “The goal was small but impactful,” explained Mara Hoffman of her newest, one delivery, refined resort 2018 collection.
Trina Turk Resort 2018: “We tried something new this year,” explained the designer of her resort line, “we split the collection into two mini capsules.”
Prabal Gurung Resort 2018: The works of London-based Moroccan photographer Hassan Hajjaj informed Prabal Gurung’s resort collection.
Agnona Resort 2018: Late Nineties minimalistic references and sportswear influences were combined with the brand’s signature luxurious fabrics and sophisticated details into an effortless, chic collection.
Lilly Pulitzer Resort 2018: Lilly Pulitzer is known for having resortwear 365 days a year, so for resort 2018, the collection was based around living in that Palm Beach paradise.
