Cushnie et Ochs Resort 2015

Review by Maya Singer
Ever since they launched their label, Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs have been dogged by criticism that their hyper-body-conscious clothes could work only on women with long, lean, model-esque bodies. The fat-free pencil dress, detailed with architectural cutouts, remains the Cushnie et Ochs signature. There were some slick-looking versions in this safari-inflected collection, like the olive-toned sheath with laces or the not-for-the-faint-of-heart white number, with its barely-there halter-neck bodice. That said, this collection found Cushnie and Ochs in a more egalitarian frame of mind—you could easily see women of varied shapes and sizes snapping up the duo's excellent technical knits, in particular the taut cropped sweater with slashed sleeves. Meanwhile, the short, flared dresses were relatively forgiving, while looks like a leopard-printed neoprene sheath and matching coat had an accessible, sophisticated modesty. The swimwear was another story—but then, cutout and super-sexy works for that category. Cushnie and Ochs cut a mean suit.