Count on Esteban Cortazar, and his optimistic, bouncy, Tiggerlike energy, to deliver a sartorial ode to good vibrations and world peace. “A superpersonal kaleidoscope of ideas,” is how he described the collection backstage, recalling, among his sources, a bus ride through villages on a recent trip to India, and observing the DIY streetwear spin the local kids gave to their traditional dress. This in turn triggered his own childhood memories of the surfer and skater scene in Miami’s South Beach, where he grew up.
The reigning mood was athletic bohemian, ranging from intricately cut leather bras to sporty crochet dresses and denim cut on the bias to create a sinuous swirl evoking the “compassionate” drape of Indian saris. A South American flavor surfaced in the embellishments — including the new jewelry pieces designed in collaboration with fellow Colombian Paula Mendoza — and the signature, crafty, tobacco-hued leather pieces (which included one dress built from appliqué motifs taken from a Tibetan chant).
The designer put a lot of soul into these clothes, cutting out jersey shapes, one by one, then meticulously sewing them together to re-create surfboard prints, for instance, each dipped in bold Rasta colors inspired by the universes of artists like Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.
Sequin bandeaux that leant a kitschy edge to the vibe were used to bring structure to the line’s nonchalant, layered-up silhouettes like the fluid pinstripe elements.
Graphic till-ringers, meanwhile, included bold-colored knits with contrast hems and jewelry-embellished tops. Not forgetting a sharp, white mini with a peace sign at the back, its lines hand-looped in colored thread — another convincing lesson from Cortazar in the interconnectedness of life.