Resort is a good time to consider fashion nomads, intrepid women who live out of their suitcases, jetting from one appointment to another. Whether executives or influencers, they’re all in search of the same thing—pieces that can emerge from a carry-on and seem sophisticated without the aid of a steamer or too much thought. When you’re always on the go, who has time to devote to planning outfits?
This group served as the focus of Robert Rodriguez’s Resort 2020 collection, a laid-back lineup of suits and separates that offer a traveler’s twist on workwear essentials. Based in Los Angeles, Rodriguez has long endorsed the idea of chill fashion (his SoCal cool girls aren’t the type to fuss about anything, let alone clothes), and the packing idea allowed him to take things one step further. Effortless was the key word, with familiar silhouettes pared down to their simplest form or crafted in wear-and-go materials. Trench coats came pre-crinkled in shades of cobalt blue and olive drab, while dress shirts were given an extra layer of transparent fabric. Even the sequined tartan, a rare moment of glitz, had a practical quality; the shiny overlay on blazers and overcoats prevents things from getting wrinkled.
As always, Rodriguez offered new versions of his standards; a baggy white pinstripe suit was summery without resorting to seersucker, lightweight knits added a few weekend options, and a cropped take on his boxy blazers made for an appealing layering piece. The introduction of fresh ideas could have been taken further—a brief segue into lace deserved more than a singular look—but he ended things on a high note. The off-the-shoulder tops that mimicked the look of corsets (minus the discomfort) and baggy high-waisted skirts are well worth carting from one destination to the next.
