Sea’s resort collection started at the movies. What caught Monica Paolini’s fashion eye while watching the documentary Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg were the costumes from another flick: 1970’s Performance. The jacket made from a green piano shawl that Mick Jagger sported as Turner particularly caught her eye. Sea offers one in black, as well as some delectable dresses in ivory sprinkled with a bouquet of colorful flowers. The V-neck with lace inserts is especially notable, as is the titillating opening look, a lavishly fringed tone-on-tone spencer-type jacket with crochet insets covering the breasts and exposing more than the midriff.
As Pallenberg set the template for boho chic, she’s a good fit for Sea, where Victoriana, quilting, rustic embroideries, and cutwork are house specialties. For resort, an embroidered shearling vestlet, a calico patchwork jacket, and a blazer with a detachable lace capelet speak to that aesthetic, which remains at the core of the brand. Happily—and healthily—that core is expanding. Every collection now includes some sports-related gear, usually a take on the tracksuit. Swim-like stretch materials (see the ivory and black pieced dresses that have a nice weighty hand) have also become part of the design lexicon—as has denim. “I think it grounds everything and makes everything feel cooler too,” noted Paolini. In the look book, a diamante-trimmed black velvet dress is paired with similarly embellished black jeans. Elsewhere, denim is patchworked and washes are mixed. A pants set takes wing with the crochet bird appliques. This is a high-flying collection that reveals Sea’s growth.
