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Jason Wu Resort: French New Wave Refresher

“Resort should be like candy, it should be like dessert,” said Jason Wu after his Resort 2011 show in New York on Friday, June 4, as he motioned to the petite boxes of lavender scented “Jason Wu Gray” macarons by Alain Ducasse that were placed on each chair.
 
And, indeed, Wu’s show delivered confectionary on all fronts, starting with the posh yet peaceful setting at the St. Regis Hotel with its glittering chandeliers, heavy silk drapes and sweeping midtown Manhattan views.

The opulent, traditional setting provided a counterpoint to his collection, inspired by French ‘60s mod muse Anna Karina, the model-slash-actress-slash-singer best known for her work in Jean-Luc Godard’s French New Wave films such as “A Woman Is a Woman” and “Vivre Sa Vie,” and the ‘60s genre of music Ye-Ye, featuring dreamy vocals in French and candy colored vinyl record singles with chic Pop Art covers.

“It’s French gamine style mixed with the lightness and airiness that I think Resort should have,” said Wu, of the collection that was heavy on sportswear with a youthful kick, emphasis on leggy, but with a very ladylike sensibility, as though daughters were reinventing their more conservative mother’s clothes.

Wu’s biggest resort collection to date, it featured crisp rolled khaki shorts, breezy leopard print chiffon dresses, ascots tied into oversized bows and a painted daffodil print motif on everything from short shifts to A-line swing coats that were cheerful, polished and effervescent.

For those with more mature tastes -- Wu is still a favorite designer of first lady Michelle Obama -- there were tweedy skirt suits with delicate trims and demure A-line dresses with a spray of tiny floral embroidery.

Wu also demonstrated his keen eye for hidden details, from a parka lined in leopard print chiffon to an organiza lined trench coat with a gingham sleeve.

“Everything should be as beautiful inside as out,” said Wu. “I think that’s an important philosophy. That’s why I wanted to show [the collection] here, which would be my bedroom, in my fantasy. I wouldn’t mind waking up here everyday, would you?”

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