It’s somehow impossible to talk about Zac Posen and not briefly mention Marc Jacobs: the two have that same sort of enfant terrible sensibility, the same kind of wildly diverse yet somehow brilliant aesthetic, and the same kind of devoted following, though Posen’s is still in the growing stages. However, while Jacobs is the master of amalgamation, culling together influeunce and references to create something his own, I honestly think that Posen is the better designer when it comes to originality and construction. Save the tar and feathers for later, please, I just exfoliated.

While Posen’s collections still tend to lack the cohesion of more seasoned collections, his vision is consistently bold and original, usually only drawing subtly from references instead of basing entire collections on them. This Resort collection doesn’t feel like something you’d take on a cruise ship, but some kind of gorgeous rare orchid show come to life: vivid hues, explosive bows and embellishments, luxurious pleats that swathe every organic curve of the body with love. Posen’s collections can at times feel harsh and angular among all those soft embellishments he throws in, but here the lush jungle colors and petal-esque wrappings embue everything with that warm, pleasant feeling of summer in full ripeness. Which is another thing I really appreciate about Posen’s designs: he knows and appreciates how to dress the female form in all its spectacular variety and wonder.

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SOURCE: Means of First Resort: Zac Posen R10