The Tamesis
For her Pre-Fall collection, Maria McManus turned to Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, a member of the influential Penwith Arts Society of Arts, to create abstract paintings inspired by nature. McManus was drawn to a quote from the artist who rose to prominence after World War II: “I care about the inner structure of things, not their appearance.”
“I read this article and I thought, oh, that’s a really good idea,” McManus said from her home in Tribeca, where she often holds appointments. “That really resonated with me, especially how we think about everything, not just manufacturing and quality.” Indeed, it embodies McManus’ modus operandi, although Barnes-Graham’s work itself also influenced the series, most obviously through the subtle green and brown palette in her “Little Energy” paintings.
McManus continues to experiment with the soft romanticism of her last few collections, including body-hugging knit dresses, lace-trimmed lingerie-style dresses, and body-hugging cropped pants that also feature lingerie-style stitching. (Though it’s worth noting that she used a heavy fabric to make the slip look like underwear without actually making it look like everything was hanging out.) Elsewhere, a pencil skirt paired with a striped shirt and matching scarf gave off a cheeky secretary vibe, while a chunky faux fur crop top added an unexpectedly playful element to her vision.
