Mara Hoffman Spring 2013

Mara Hoffman couldn't debut her beach-ready Spring 2013 collection on the shore, so she did the next best thing and hired three ukulele players to bring the sound of Hawaii to her New York runway show. With palm fronds in their hair, models paraded a series of fearlessly optimistic dresses, gowns, swimwear, and even a quilt-print caftan primed for sunny days by the sea. A breezy pink-and-coral column dress skimmed the floor, while an excellent sea-blue gown with side cutouts was affixed with an interesting chevron print. Hoffman nodded to the bare midriff trend with bikini and bralette tops, but her most powerful statement might have been her bold use of color. After three days of looking at mostly muted collections of pastels and neutrals, Hoffman's audience gave her collection a clamorous applause.