This summer, Rosie Assoulin posted a smiley face made of seashells to her Instagram. The shells were pressed into sand, captured by Boomerang, washed over by water right when you thought it might wink. It was a clue — even if accidental — into the goings on inside her brain, which she turned inside out once again during fashion week.
What I wouldn’t give to live inside there!
For her Spring 2018 collection, Rosie massaged what she does best. There were no design gimmicks, no novel frills for the sake of it. There was no out-of-the-box venue, like the artist’s home she showed in for Resort, or the plastic gym she showed in for Fall 17 that was set up like a grandmother’s plastic-couch-covered living room at tea time. There were simply beautiful clothes that pushed comfort zones just enough to please the fashion-weary eye and make its future wearers feel special.
If you’ve been following her for a while now, you’ll recognize a few silhouettes, like the asymmetric ruffled skirts, colorful piping, soft plaids. What this collection looks to be is a declaration — again, even if accidental — that she has settled into her designer skin. She knows who she is, and somehow, inherently, she knows who all of us are, too. It’s the only explanation I have for the reason everyone loves her. There is a magic about Rosie Assoulin that makes you believe she could, in fact, get a seashell to give the camera a wink.
Photos by Nicole Cohen; check out her work on Instagram @sketchfortytwo.
