Kim Bekker was in full flow this season, drawing on her own experiences of travel and exploration for a collection infused with the laid-back sex appeal of the brand. It was her second outing as creative director, and while she still works closely with founder Isabel Marant, the collection was all about Kim.
“I was thinking about my personal journey, traveling on my own, and enjoying open spaces with a backpack and a quilt to sleep on,” said the designer, who even created cross-body leather slings to hold rolled-up blankets.
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Bekker worked elements of those journeys – including wildflowers and “sunkissed” colors – into the collection, which was heavy on daywear, layers and booties made for walking – on the catwalk, which was covered in red dirt.
Bekker travels light, and sent out a lineup of cool army jackets with patches, short suede hippie vests and slim, low-slung cargo pants rolled at the ankle. Her models carried suede banana-shaped shoulder bags and wore high, lace-up moccasins, suede gladiator styles with silky rope ties and flat boots with espadrille soles and a wildflower print.
The suede boots are the younger siblings of the brand’s bestselling Bobby wedge sneakers, and in tune with the season’s trends for glamorous, flat footwear that can go all day long.
Bekker worked the same sense of ease into dresses, which ranged from short, silky t-shirt styles in desert tones, to longer, sheer off-the-shoulder ones with ruffle cuffs. Other romantic shirt dresses and halter tops were done in broderie anglaise eyelet, and looked like they were picked up from a small-town vintage shop.
There were a few nods to evening, including coppery or black sequin tops paired with patchwork trousers or army jackets, and a sultry slip dress edged with fringe and oversized silver paillettes, for the odd night drinking from a cocktail glass, rather than a thermos.
