Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVIII

2 2 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I The first words we thought of when we saw the collection were: Oh, how darling! But look closer – whilst undeniably charming and feminine, there’s a distinct downtown, art- scene edginess under all the bright colour and swirling materials. Which made us love it even more, of course. Graphic prints make reference to bothMatisse and Picasso, along with a digital image of the palace gardens at Versailles. Another highlight is a painted print, created by Stacey’s long-time friend the artist Lola Schnabel, which has been rendered onto a full skirt, a pleated top and a fitted sheath. These intricate prints are balanced out throughout the collection with bold graphic statement prints and stripes. (We loved the adorable zebras printed on a bright blue T- shirt dress.) Mixing bright and light colours, the palette for spring uses white and black as an anchor while cool lavender, coral, and aqua tones combine with vibrant shades of sunset orange, canary yellow, and umbrella blue. Playful pastels and summery sherbets also appear in the lineup, as do ultra- feminine, ultra-summery white-on-white pairings. Not surprisingly, dresses are a key silhouette for alice + olivia this spring. A new pleated silk chiffon handkerchief- hemmed gown stands out in a lovely lavender, alongside fierce pencil dresses done in bright solids and bold black and white graphic prints. In addition, there are satin ankle length pants, high-waisted striped culottes in blue-and- white, and crêpe wide-leg trousers. Shirt dressing also plays a part in the collection, as do 1970s era inspired halter necklines. If you like to mix up your silhouettes and patterns, a chic umbrella blue striped button down is shown with an embroidered floral jacquard ball gown skirt, while a white button with an extended hem is seen over Bermuda shorts. Taken separately, these are all amazing pieces that would serve you well as absolute wardrobe staples. But when paired in creative and unexpected ways, as Bendet shows them, the clothes become a fun and free-spirited way to express your individuality. Indeed, one of the Stacey Bendet trademarks is her ability to give fancy pieces – think lavish beading and lux volume – a daytime casualness, resulting in a slightly bohemian feel. Beaded sweatshirts and T-shirts are mixed with cool toned leather pieces, whilst an embellished crop top is seen with a matching straight lined evening skirt with a sheer underlay. A beaded, multi-coloured, print long blazer is paired with bold striped pencil pants. And for us, a definite highlight would be the embellished collarless jackets, especially when paired with the striped trousers rolled to the knee and ankle-strapped sandals. It’s somehow perfectly retro-charming yet fashion-forward, occupying real estate somewhere between uptown chic and downtown edgy. At once playful, opulent, dreamy and ladylike, this is a wonderful collection sure to inspire you to combine pieces in newways that will create a different mood every day. The only limit is your imagination. It’s fun, effortless and a little bit flirty – what more can you ask of a summer wardrobe? “The collection is filled with print and texture and I truly wanted each piece of clothing to almost feel like its own piece of art,” Stacey Bendet has said of her charming collection. We’d say she has more than succeeded. alice + olivia epitomises the personality and perspective of its founder, Stacey Bendet, who created the brand from a personal quest to create the perfect pair of trousers. She has since grown the brand into a full lifestyle collection including ready-to-wear, gowns, shoes, tech accessories and a newly launched collection of handbags, quickly becoming a favourite amongst Hollywood celebrities. The alice + olivia brand is available at 15 free-standing locations, including one at The Dubai Mall, as well as at 800 select speciality stores worldwide.