Diotima Resort 2023
“With this collection, I wanted to explore a lot of the language and vocabulary I started with in the first few seasons,” Diotima designer Rachel Scott said during a preview of her latest collection.
Since launching her brand, the designer has homed in on balancing artisanal, sensual styles with mannish, sophisticated tailoring, referencing dance hall and her Jamaican roots as continual inspiration for the line. For resort, these ideas shone through new takes on her specialty crystal mesh and crochet with strong suiting and plenty of ultra-cool batty riders (or hot shorts). Scott also tapped two legendary women in dance hall from the ’90s (whom Scott has always been inspired by) — the music artist Patra and dancer Carlene Smith — to appear in her collection look book.
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The look: A mix of sharp tailoring, artisanal craft and bold, sensual appeal.
Quote of note: “This crystal mesh category has come back in new colors and silhouette interpretations — as you can see, I have this mesh obsession, and I played a lot with deconstructing tailoring, which is an element that comes men in dance hall, while breaking that up with crochet and other elements,” Scott told WWD. “I didn’t have any print this season because i was so focused on the stripes and all the different meshes and textures. It’s a lot more linear and textural, which is also appropriate for the season.”
Key pieces: Updated crystal mesh and “web doily” crochet dresses and separates (striped renditions felt especially fresh); elevated suiting with crochet and cotton net inserts that ruptured the silhouette at the waist (on both trousers and blazers); standout, intricate sparkly mesh tanks and dresses made up of fishnets strung together with multicolored microsequins, with silk charmeuse trims; a selection of fully fashioned knits (with stripes made up of merino wool, in a Milano stitch, and viscose, in a mesh stitch); myriad batty riders, especially strong (and sexy) when styled with boxy blazers and button-downs.
Takeaway: Scott’s keen attention to detail and dedication to handcraft continued to uplift the collection.
Launch Gallery: Diotima Resort 2023
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