Before editors even entered the Manhattan showroom where Markarian designer Alexandra O’Neill was presenting her latest collection, there was a hint as to what her inspiration was—in the form of a pop-meets-disco playlist that could be heard from the hallway outside.
“I wanted to build a collection that was very holiday-appropriate, fun, and festive,” O’Neill said, “so I looked to Cher in the ’70s.” The influence was apparent in a wavy psychedelic print on crinkled silk-chiffon which O’Neill fashioned into a mini swing dress, a beaded cropped blouse and an A-line skirt. Sequin dresses—one in dark green featuring an attached silk scarf, and another in burgundy with a flouncy, car wash hem—were among the party looks, along with a periwinkle satin dress with a cagework paillette overlay. Markarian’s most recent take on suiting was a bright red crystal-embellished flared blazer and matching hot shorts. “It feels very… performance-based,” O’Neill said, taking her time to land on the right description. “It’s something you could wear on stage.”
Ever loyal to her core collection—a handful of pieces Markarian has offered since launching in 2017—O’Neill gave the silhouettes new colors and textures. This season’s corseted Apple Dress was “a really cute pink and red polka dot cloqué version with a full skirt and little red bow details,” she said.
While much of the collection realized O’Neill’s ’70s fashion dreams, an embroidered pashmina added a hint of early-aughts nostalgia. “It’s hard to find an elevated evening jacket or coat that makes sense for your wardrobe, so we included a wrap to go with a lot of the looks,” she said, noting that the piece brings back memories for her and her friends. “We are girls of the pashmina generation. When I was growing up, my mom would always say, ‘Do you have your pashmina with you?’”
