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
