Elizabeth and James

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen have plenty to celebrate coming off their big CFDA coup, but between their winning work for The Row and, count them, 11 deliveries a year for Elizabeth and James, the designing sisters aren’t about to kick back and relax anytime soon. The new Resort collection for their contemporary label is full of Olsen-isms both high and low. The saturated amethyst silk that was used here on a puffy-skirted frock (shown over a crisp bejeweled button-up), for example, also popped up in The Row’s new lineup. At the same time, there were also lots of feminine riffs on menswear suiting, which the girls explained have always been a key factor in the Elizabeth and James success equation. A slouchy white tuxedo jacket came with built-in swaths of silk that mimicked a scarf, while look 18 appeared to be three smartly styled pieces (an oxford with a sheer T-shirt tucked into a pencil skirt) but was actually an all-in-one shirtdress. The younger E+J customer appreciates the effortless appeal of tossing on just one day-to-night piece; she should also be thankful for the Olsens’ steadfast dedication to chic flats like the pointy-toe mule slippers here.
—Brittany Adams