Mark Badgley and James Mischka spent a few days in Cartagena, Colombia, and returned to New York inspired by the “glamorous evening dresses, bold colors and important jewelry” they saw each night.
Gowns in fuchsia with black matelassé and brocade translated easily from South America to Seventh Avenue in boldly flounced strapless and single-shoulder silhouettes. A knee-length, layered caftan in ivory tulle with baby sequins and gold metallic flocking was a top evening look.
For day, the duo took it down in pitch with simple black gaucho pants paired with a white shirt, and a black crepe dress featuring a blouson top and lean skirt with paillettes and crystals in a delicate cascading white-and-pink floral pattern. The designers even flirted with the idea of buying “a little vacation place near the beach” during their days there. Now, that’s inspiration.