Jonathan Simkhai has really begun to hit his stride. Well-known for lavish embellishments and eveningwear, he’s expanded upon his ready-to-wear offerings and more. He’s just returned from a swim launch party in the Bahamas for his high summer collection, and will introduce an exclusive capsule of activewear with Carbon38 on Jan. 17. “For me, this is the first season I really feel like it’s well-rounded in terms of dressing women for everything,” he said at a preview in his showroom.
Pre-fall was about highlighting when a woman feels her sexiest and most vulnerable. For him, it’s the idea of bringing the way a woman dresses in the privacy of her bedroom to the outside world. Maybe she’s picking up her boyfriend’s oversized shirt to brush her teeth in, or grabbing the closest piece of loungewear she has to answer the door. The message was strongest when elements of men’s wear and tailoring were mixed with the ultra-femininity of a lace slip or camisole. Deconstruction in the shirting and cropped tuxedo jackets provided seductive allure and a nod to the cold-shoulder trend made popular in recent seasons. Those jackets were styled with delicate slips and high-waisted trousers for a play on proportions, where only a triangle of fabric is visible, peeking out from the fallen shoulder. More than lingerie, it was the idea of comfortable confidence and vulnerable dressing made to empower that resonated most.
Other highlights included expanded denim offerings like embroidered slim-fit jeans and a karate jacket with a sashlike belt; tailored leather jacket and pants, and hand-embroidered lace dresses. “The pre-collection is really about those “it” pieces that you just buy and you don’t even flinch. You know it’s going to ground your outfits for the season. I wanted to focus on those wardrobe staples,” mused Simkhai. Mission accomplished.