Misha Nonoo’s 2013 Resort Collection

Yes, Yes, Nonoo!

Misha Nonoo 2013 Resort Collection
Striped cashmere sequined sweater and paisley silk shantung shorts
(Click photos for larger views)

Misha Nonoo, whose work is marked by refined elegance, sculpted shapes, and perfect fit, was honored with the 2012 Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award for Women’s RTW. The New York based designer was born in Bahrain, raised in London, and schooled in Paris. Her eclectic, thoroughly global upbringing has been evident in her designs from the beginning. Autumn/winter 2011 was all about the aristocratic heritage of England; spring/summer 2012 was a celebration of the glorious Italian Riviera and referenced style icons Marella Agnelli and Contessa Crespi; fall/winter 2012 was an homage to Paris, and Anouk Amee was the inspiration.

Shirred dress and bamboo chunky sweater
with embellished cuff silk crepe trouser

Last evening, she unveiled resort 2013 during the course of two back-to-back informal shows at the Gramercy Park Hotel’s rooftop Terrace. The glamorous, opulent, eclectically dramatic and artistically inspired hotel (which owes its stunning makeover to Julian Schnabel), was quite a fitting venue for this quirky, highly detailed, 20 piece collection. It was inspired by the “colorful past and storied sojourns” of the regal Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, the last Vicereine of India. Ms. Nonoo successfully touched upon all the predominant themes for resort 2013 that have been seen elsewhere, but she managed to put her own spin on them.

Left to right: The Vicereine embroidered paisley top with polka dot skirt; the black silk gerogette blouse with paisely sequined pocket detail and cylcamen satin skirt with beaded trim; the paisley printed Burma dress; the black Annette dress

There were Botanical prints which came by way of a crepe de chine blouse and cropped tailored silk shantung trousers, or a shantung short suit with lattice printed silk chiffon blouse and high wasted silk shantung silk printed shorts. Shorts (which are part of a huge pant revival and have been touched upon by every designer thus far) looked good here as well. Notable examples were the tucked cotton blouse paired with a high waist silk shantung lattice print short, and the blue striped cashmere square sequined sweater worn with a paisley silk shantung short. Vicereine embroidered paisleys, in the form of a coat and jacket, looked especially good when paired with Burma trousers.

The Vicereine paisley coat and jacket

Unexpected were the pattern mixes (as in the aforementioned paisleys and polka dots); the use of transparency (as in the lattice print Hutch dress) and the pailette and sequin trims (a cyclamen satin back crepe short skirt was trimmed with transparent paisley beads and worn with a black silk georgette blouse with paisley sequined pocket detail). There were tuxedos — hers was rendered in lightweight superfine persimmon wool. And yes, of course, there was lace. Standouts were the sapphire blue French lace blouse and pencil skirt and a black Annette dress with sapphire blue French lace sleeves. The only accessories used were earrings by Dannijo, and black or nude suede pumps on a very high platform.

The sapphire blue French lace blouse and pencil skirt

Speaking of platforms, Deborah Hughes, the company’s publicist, was decked out in a simple and chic navy top and long, full legged pants, and seemed to have grown since I last saw her. When I asked to see her shoes, she lifted up the hem of her pants to reveal towering 6 inch platforms.

Talk about the “height of fashion”. Wow!

– Marilyn Kirschner

Marilyn Kirschner

I am a long time fashion editor with 40+ years of experience. As senior market of Harper's Bazaar for 21 years I met and worked with every major fashion designer in the world and covered all of the collections in Paris, London, Milan and New York. I was responsible for overall content, finding and pulling in the best clothes out there, and for formulating ideas and stories.