By now, it’s pretty evident Marissa Webb has a penchant to play on a masculine-feminine dichotomy filtered with a Fifties-style lens. She loves to juxtapose a reworked military jacket against a feminine floral print. “I think you’re all familiar that I have a little obsession with green,” Webb joked at a preview in her apartment. Her latest collection was a project of passion featuring her favorite things — outerwear, item blouses and leather — instead of one trying to cover the gamut.
It’s been important for Webb to design clothes that really speak to her customers, whether men or women. Updated versions of her high-performing military jackets (bought by both genders) were rendered with special details including zipper shoulders, drawstring waists and wool knit backing. Similarly, comfortable-looking distressed leather jackets were gender-neutral. Leather factored prominently elsewhere on roomy pants, including “cute dorky length” culottes. The collection was tighter than in seasons past, not only in bulk but also in use of fabrics. Tops and bottoms were made with the same laces, leather and other soft fabrics to encourage mix-and-match dressing. Roomy blouses were easy and luxurious with cutouts and sheer lace details. To boil it down, Webb is increasingly gravitating toward a seamless mix of comfort and glamour.