Richard Chai debuted a Spring/Summer collection that is not only quirky, but fun! The lights dimmed on the runway, upbeat, contemporary music filled the room, and out came the intro outfit. Right away, my senses tingled by the mix of bold green and gold stripes and floral prints which inevitably set the tone for the entire collection.
The collection features simple designs with minimalist cuts. I was immediately drawn to the structured pieces with dark or neutral color palettes. In addition to straight leg pants, the men wore shorts, shorts, and more shorts. The shorts were successfully paired with either matching blazers or long sleeved button-downs covered with sheer tees. They were loose fitting and hung just above the knee. The color palette for both men and women encompassed almost every color of the rainbow with khaki greens, deep purples, bright corals, neutrals and prints that wouldn’t normally be paired together. Simply put, the menswear line was simple, clean-cut and definitely preppy!
The women graced the runway in the same bold and crazy prints, daring to pair bright pink and purple floral shorts with a structured plum blazer and green striped blouse. Chai displayed much diversity in his women’s collection with straight-legged pants, structured as well as loose fitting and feminine dresses, and blouses that teetered between fitted and baggy. The accessories were kept simple with floppy hats, cobalt blue lipstick and basic flat lace-up shoes. Overall, I was impressed at how the funky mismatching prints actually complimented each other to make for a rather cohesive collection.
LaShawn McKinzie
