Jasmin Larian Hekmat, the designer behind Cult Gaia, planned her resort 2024 collection and show for nearly a year before the big reveal in her hometown of Los Angeles last night. She called the new lineup Under the Sun, but she was channeling the solar power not of southern California but that of the South of France. “I’ve always loved the ease and glamour of St. Tropez. To me, it’s quintessentially Cult Gaia,’” she said. That tracks—Hekmat is fluent in resort fashion, and speaks it all four seasons of the year at her label, which has become synonymous with hot weather wear.
To give the show a certain je ne sais quoi, she presented it at The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Guests passed through the sleek glass Barbra Streisand Bridge and entered the open-air domed roof. A pale citrus carpet blanketed the floor, echoing the sunshine and yellow sea walls of St. Tropez. In the distance, the Hollywood Hills were lit with a golden-hour glow.
Given the size of the stage, she made sure to bring newness. Jeans, cut from substantially weighted denim in a carpenter silhouette, were a fresh development. Elaborate floral embroidery and beading nicely contrasted the workwear details. There were simpler knit shorts sets for day, or day-to-night, depending on the wearer’s mood; corded cage dresses to cover up with by the pool; and gowns with poufs and trains for event dressing. A common thread throughout Hekmat’s collections is the contrast of nature with architecture, which came through in artisanal details like embroidery, glass and pearl beading, and raffia fringe. In a play for sustainability, raffia dresses and skirts were crafted with leftover scraps from bags of seasons past.
When it came to the playful accessories that the brand is beloved for, Hekmat didn’t disappoint. This season they included oversize straw hats, sculptural costume jewelry, ornate platform shoes, and bags for every time of the day. It’s easy to forget that Cult Gaia started as a flower crown hustle, back when Coachella was a respectable music festival to attend, and wearing said headpiece was not yet a punchline. Hekmat has moved way beyond all that, and the brand is better for it.
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