Raquel Allegra’s dreamily bohemian clothing has always complemented an equally Californian, organic approach to her brand’s development. Taking her own path in the industry has gone swimmingly for Allegra so far: She has A-list stockists, a forthcoming boutique of her own, and now with Resort, one of her most directional offerings to date.
First, there was denim, and lots of it. Allegra initially flirted with the material back in 2013, turning out a slouchy blazer and bikini (both wardrobe staples of different sorts, she joked). The former was a sellout hit, but the designer, who clearly knows a glutted market when she sees one, had only toyed with the fabric ever since. This season it was one of her defining motifs. Comfort is central to the label, so a pair of rakish indigo trousers came with an elastic waist. Elsewhere, the distressing that is also integral to the Allegra DNA was palpable in the trailing, tufted threads on the edges of a long denim tunic. Jean dresses both long and short were among the collection’s coolest pieces, cooler still layered over turtlenecks in stretch paisley lace. Another Resort development? On-the-mark, classic white shirting.
All of Allegra’s newer endeavors were grounded in a very focused palette: blues, white, black, gray, and little else. Black was also the color of her hedonistic, need-it-now hit—an absurdly soft angora sweater with rabbit-fur trim.
