Cult Gaia Resort 2023 Collection

“I want to eat the rack,” says Cult Gaia designer Jasmin Larian Hakmat during a preview of her resort assortment. Not literally, of course, but she is referring to the deliciously-sweet color palette of her new playful pieces, all designed in vibrant shades of pinks, oranges, and greens. “I had all my guards down [this season] and went for color, fun, and magic.”

A vacation-ready, easy-breezy aesthetic is nothing new for Cult Gaia. But Larian Hakmat did attempt to infuse some freshness into the line for resort with some brand new references. One of her main inspirations this season, for instance, was the space-age ’60s—think Barbarella—which she translated into pieces with big circular cutouts on them. They worked on an orange crochet top, which was made up of several circular tubes that were covered in the summery textile, revealing the body underneath. “We focused on negative space, and how you can build on a woman’s form and shape,” says Larian Hakmat. They didn’t work as much on the circular pink cotton bra, which felt just a dash costume-y.

The architecture of Luis Barragán served as another major reference in this collection; particularly, the way he fused strong colors with texture. “I love to use a lot of texture in my fabrics,” says Larian Hakmat. “I don’t like it to feel too slick or manufactured; Color looks best on a little bit of texture.” Her resort materials included vibrant feathers—added onto dress trims, or all-over on going-out tops—and rhinestone crystals. One hot pink, long-sleeved mini dress, with a ruched neckline, was covered in the sparkly studs. “I wanted a hot girl club dress,” says Larian Hakmat, “but for it to still look expensive and elevated.”

Not all the pieces were quite so bold, though. Larian Hakmat also experimented with quieter designs, such as a refined brown viscose halter dress, or a white off-the-shoulder linen-rayon dress with puffed sleeves. She couldn’t resist adding flair, however, to a tangerine viscose tank dress: attaching its long train to a golden bracelet that can be worn, like a pet on a leash. “I love the drama,” the designer says.