Stella McCartney Resort 2014

The rain came down and the prints were bold at Stella McCartney's 2014 Resort collection.  Celebs from Liv Tyler to Naomi Watts and new BFF Amy Poehler were in attendance at New York's attempt at a proper English garden party.

Lots of ladylike dresses at the knee or above were presented in elegant fabric like python printed jacquard or duchesse satin.  The color palette was more traditional for resort, pulling from black, white, navy, red and yellow, but avoiding the conventional cruise or nautical motifs many other designers like to do for this season.  Instead, my favorite pieces from this collection were the laser cut hearts and crafty lip shapes.  They reminded me of the tissue paper party garlands you find at Mexican celebrations.

Stella has long surpassed the status of pop music princess, but the lit up signage certainly looked like she still embraces it.  The collection looked fantastic, but still looked a little too dressy for the jet-setting socialites on vacation "resort" usually implies and certainly very dressy for the American crowd.  I just can't see sitting down in the damp grass for an al fresco meal in one of these outfits, even though picnic baskets were staged throughout.  Is the problem here that I'm the only one who can't carry off a satin day look without mud or grass stains all over myself?

Photos by John Acquino from WWD