American Style Reigns for Resort 2027 Eveningwear

The United States will celebrate 250 years of independence next month during resort season, so it’s only right that American style should come into focus — even if it’s mostly been through a European lens.

Louis Vuitton and Gucci both turned iconic New York landmarks into runways this season, while Dior, Hermès, and Zegna all flocked further west to show their collections in Los Angeles.

Luckily, these five formalwear designers who already reside Stateside didn’t have to cross an ocean for inspiration. Taking notes from the American history book, and those who helped write the fashion chapter (Bill Blass, Halston, Isaac Mizrahi), their best looks prioritized movement and clean lines, exuding an easy elegance that’s long been the John Hancock of this country’s approach to occasion dressing.

As Mainbocher, the first true American couturier, once said, “Too many gadgets can spoil the dress, just as surely as too many cooks, the broth.”

Atelier Prabal Gurung: Class of Blass

Prabal Gurung defines his mainline as sportswear with “couture ideals” and his Atelier offshoot (now in its third season) as the reverse: eveningwear with sportswear ideals. “The easy aspect of it, that’s deeply rooted in Americana,” he explained during a Zoom call.

Gurung’s resort photos teem with gowns in jewel tones and flickering embellishments, but what really catches the eye is look 3: a black raglan-sleeve sheath with sequins obscured by a layer of chiffon to tame their sparkle. Gurung joked, “It almost looks like a T-shirt.” And what could be easier or more American than that?

The Nepalese designer attributes his appreciation for finding the beauty in restraint to Bill Blass, whose brand he stewarded in the early 2000s. “The way we used to dress society women, the Nan Kempners of the world, was streamlined, almost linear in a way,” he said. “It’s not ‘look at me!’ There’s a quiet confidence without losing a sense of who she is.”

Lela Rose: Western Storyteller

Possibly the chicest ranch hand in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Lela Rose sees the American West as more than a gold mine for fashion trends. It’s craft and tradition, a way of life, and this diaphanous chiffon saloon skirt tells the story of hers. Its hand-stitched symbols were inspired by Rose’s collection of antique Native American storyteller belts. “One of the ways they communicated their history was through silversmithing,” she explained. “I always talk about these storyteller pieces and how they communicate visually the way you’ve lived culturally.”

A quick twirl reveals Rose’s personal history, spanning her Texas roots represented by the state’s flower, bluebonnets, and her father’s passion for ornithology, seen in a pair of mockingbirds. Her dog, Bobbin, also makes an appearance, as does a New York City tattoo-style heart, paying homage to Lela Rose headquarters. 

Only 10 storyteller skirts will be produced, making them collectors’ pieces in and of themselves. However, that doesn’t mean Rose wants them stuffed with tissue and hidden in a box. “I would do it for cocktails,” she said. “I’d also put on our Lucchese boots and wear it Western.”

Markarian: Practicing Pragmatism

For resort, Alexandra O’Neill reflected on her childhood memories growing up in rural Colorado, imbuing Markarian’s sophisticated midcentury shapes with outdoorsy touches, like raspberry motifs and tassels, which the designer likened to horsetails.

O’Neill loves a statement coat for evening — after all, it was Jill Biden’s teal tweed inaugural design that catapulted Markarian from IYKYK to national news in 2021 — and this season she offered a weathered damask option with saddle pockets and drooping bishop sleeves, the brand’s new tailoring signature. “You can throw a belt on and wear it as a little dress. It’s kind of a perfect piece,” O’Neill said.  

It might be perfect for a staid function like, say, your husband’s swearing-in ceremony, but a whole lot more fun is this raspberry-colored taffeta set. “It was really inspired by this kind of ’90s ball gown separate dressing,” explained O’Neill, instantly bringing to mind vintage Isaac Mizrahi. What gives the look a distinctly American attitude is its pragmatism: wear it together for a wedding, then throw on the pleated halterneck bustier with a pair of blue jeans for a Fourth of July barbecue.

Pamella Roland: New York (Post)-Impressions

A benefactor for one of America’s finest institutions, The Whitney Museum, Pamella Roland has always felt a great sense of pride in promoting the nation’s artists. While European names certainly loom large, “American art boasts a rich legacy of exceptional creators, both past and present” she said. 

In fact, Roland has amassed a few exceptional works herself and this resort collection spotlighted one of her favorites: “La Femme Dans Le Voile Mauve” (1912). The portrait by Alfred Maurer, a native New Yorker who was among the first to bring Fauvism to the States, depicts a young woman surrounded by greenery draped in a lilac headscarf. Roland said she remains “captivated by its color story,” leading her to a similar palette, which at times felt overly saccharine when ruffles and flowers entered the frame.

This strapless matte sequin gown, however, takes a sharper approach more aligned with a post-Impressionist like Maurer, keeping the focus where it should be: on the subject matter.

Reem Acra: Old Hollywood Meets Studio 54

Ostrich feathers were the jumping-off point this season for Reem Acra, who put it simply at her Midtown showroom, saying: “When I discover something, I kind of go with the theme.” 

While that theme was loosely based in Venice, her collection would feel more at home on an MGM soundstage in the ‘30s or at Studio 54 in the ‘70s. This orange georgette maxi is a bit of both with a pin-tucked bust riffing on Acra’s famous “Olivia” dress, named after the one Olivia Wilde wore to the 2008 Emmy Awards. “I’ve been dressing Hollywood since the very beginning of my career, so it’s always on my mind,” she said. 

Acra described it as a fresh take on her beloved caftans, pointing out the looped draping technique that forms a billowy cape at the back. Take away the distracting accessories, it’s quite minimal and one could just as easily envision an actress bringing it to life on the red carpet as a modern-day Halstonette.