There isn’t always a one-to-one correlation between what is happening in a designer’s life and what they produce. Nor do show notes always tell the whole, or most revealing, story. Case in point: On a preview of her pre-fall collection Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill explained that she tries on every design because she couldn’t expect other women to wear something she wouldn’t. That straightforward statement explained the intent of the lineup, and the brand, with more clarity than any moodboard could. Yes, Markarian had been on safari, but her choice to use tiger stripes was unrelated; those big cats, she explained, are native to India. (Plus she had been looking at paintings by Henri Rousseau.) And while O’Neill did see plenty of reptiles in Africa, the pressed croc she used on a belted cropped jacket read more ’80s than Animal Kingdom.
The mantra at Markarian is to make pretty dresses that people feel good in, nothing overwrought. This season the brand’s warped florals were offered in “peach fuzz” and a gray-blue that was nicely set off by a touch of black, like a pretty bow at the center-front of a corset gown. A black velvet column with a foldover of faille fabric at the bust iterated on tuxedo dressing. Another pretty neckline treatment was the gentle scoop on a white off-the-shoulder dress with a pattern of spiky gold flowers. O’Neill likes to dance with decades and button pocket-flaps on dresses felt a bit ’40s, while a sunny yellow dress prettified with self-fabric streamers that extended down the back had a go-go mini vibe.
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