The Tamesis
Frederick Anderson used Mexico as inspiration for his new resort collection—but not just any place in Mexico. Instead, Anderson, recently fascinated by the unique community of Careyes, imagined a lavish wardrobe that could be worn in the trendy, if-you-know-you-know coastal town. “You can only rent a house or an apartment — there are no hotels,” Anderson said. “There’s so much noise in the world right now, and I like the idea of this unique charm.”
This season has not been a salvageable one for Anderson. Instead, he felt the need to lean into a personalized resort style, producing pieces that echoed the vibrant, upbeat feel of Mexico without feeling too beachy or formal. “I’m Mr. Cocktail—I’m not super evening, I’m not super casual,” he says.
Dresses are naturally a big focus. His chiffon, black and white floral print pieces are screen printed eight times, giving them a rich sense of depth. “It becomes three-dimensional because it has so many layers,” Anderson said. The designer also created a black crochet style with built-in leather strips at the bust and shorts area, almost like a built-in swimsuit over the cover-up. “The shape references 1950s swimming styles but is a little bit edgier,” he said. (There was a lot of leather in the collection, like his vegan leather tank dress, which was covered in white laser-cut floral embroidery.)
Separate tops, meanwhile, included Anderson’s new take on tweed (one can’t deny Chanel’s overall influence this season – tweed is everywhere.) His separates were dusty pink with a metallic sheen. “When you’re on vacation, you just want to put something on,” Anderson said. “I wanted it to have a cool, youthful feel.” His real highlight, however, came at the finale, when Anderson showed off a fringed black gown made of long sequins. “It was cut on the bias and the sequins swirled around the body,” he said. It swivels and grooves with every step—just the kind of dress you want to wear when entering a chic beachside restaurant.
