Organic by John Patrick Spring/Summer 2015

Ariana DiValentino, Social Media Editor

The laid-back, anti-fashion spirit of the 90s was resurrected for Organic by John Patrick’s spring 2015 collection. Models made their way through the curving row of seats in relaxed, sporty garments of breezy gauze, chunky knit cotton, and nylon, all matched with flat, sensible sandals.

A smattering of more standard, polished pieces contributed thoughtfully to the collection, including charming, brightly colored textured shorts and skirts in yellow and coral. The bulk of the collection, however, consisted of loose-fitting pieces that fell somewhere by the beach or the basketball court. The use of silk for the knee-grazing drawstring shorts added a necessary touch of luxury to offset the overwhelming aim for ironically unfashionable throwback.

Silk pajama shirts were another highlight, clearly embodying the “TLC vibe” Patrick sought for. While the collection was certainly more wearable and modern than the outfits the hip-hop divas wore two decades ago, keeping the color palette mostly muted in navy, white, and slate, more cautious and polished design touches would have better balanced the retro style (though to its credit, brown lipstick and pin-straight smoothed-back hair hasn’t looked this fresh since ’93). Individually, the inclusion of unfinished hems, smock dresses and layered bike and basketball shorts are interesting and quirky, but the standout pieces were those that mixed old and casual with new and professional. Layering a coral textured skirt over a sheer navy shirtdress, or textured shorts over bike shorts were the combinations that best showcased Patrick’s artistry for fashion and eye for design, rather than just a penchant for recycling.

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