In a refreshing burst of honesty, Adam Selman admitted today that his inspiration this season was…Adam Selman. "I feel like girls appreciate the way I put myself together," he said, "and it struck me, they're probably looking for that in the clothes I design, too." Selman was on to something, and his instinct to emphasize the accessible and matter-of-fact as he embarked on his first-ever Resort collection was spot-on. With this outing, he went on to explain, he was trying to strip away the "show" elements—the spectacle and snazzy camp—and focus on the kind of clothes cool girls want to wear, day in and day out.
With that in mind, the designer zeroed in on stripped-down garments with a relaxed attitude, ones that he elaborated with some novel detail, like the oversize grommets on his jersey dresses, or the silk back on his blue and navy-striped knits. (The puckish pearl embellishment, meanwhile, was an unlikely utilitarian detail: Selman had a ton of pearls left over from last season.) He also showed some playful denim pieces, which featured selvage fringe and a texture puckered with eyelash. The standout items here, though, were the space-dyed ribbed knits. Virtually brainless to wear, the knits were of a rayon that was fine yet muscular, with a hand you'd have to describe as "sexy," in that you felt an instant desire to be embraced by them.
In sum, Selman's effort to produce a collection bare of bells and whistles served to affirm his canniness as a designer of wardrobe workhorses. It made you realize that, for all he likes to put on a good show, he's not just in the fantasy business.
