Lightness isn’t a quality usually associated with Victoriana (all those tufted sofas and crinolines), but the two come together harmoniously in Sea’s easy-to-wear pre-fall collection, which is full of cross-season dressing tips. These included pairing an openwork dress with a linen blazer cinched with a black leather waist bag, and creating interesting texture play by layering a crochet vest over the kind of lace shirt that would be a prize find at a vintage shop. Airiness also came into play through bubbled skirts in midi lengths with long yokes and mini versions, as well.
Separates options were rife—see a black lace skirt over a blue shirt dress—but the idea of mixing and matching was played two ways. Monica Paolini and Sean Monahan continued to develop the idea of connected dresses—a one piece that looks like two. So a linen tunic might be attached to a semi-sheer shirt or a soft-tie vest built into a muslin-y boho dress. Tethering the collection were pieces made of materials with a heavier hand. Paolini reported that the brand’s denims, inspired by vintage pieces, are selling well. The collection’s pièce de résistance was a navy French workwear coat with a corduroy collar, embroidered in motifs inspired by an unfinished Victorian quilt. It’s up to you to build out the story.
