Hardy Blechman, Maharishi’s creative director, shone a light on the presence of American and Chinese militaries in Africa for its considered and wearable spring 2017 collection, putting forth a broad offering that referenced Eastern, African and military inspirations.
As always, martial details were many. Caps with big scarves emerging from the back flapped freely or were wrapped around the neck, recalling hats worn by the French Foreign Legion; pants had several cargo pockets; a parka was hung via shoulder straps, mimicking a parachute; a khaki field jacket was extended to the knee; tactical vests were layered over a coat and a funnel-neck T-shirt; there was even a set a dog tags, lest the message wasn’t quite making itself clear.
This season’s camo print, came in khaki tiger stripes on white cotton separates, suiting and outerwear, and on an eye-catching safety orange and taupe parka. There were hooded North African djellabas in black khaki and yellow, and silk Chinese hanfu wrap jackets with sweatshirt sleeves were embroidered with tigers, leopards or maps of Africa, neatly linking the themes.