The first image of Marina Cortbawi’s Merlette pre-fall look book features actress Jemima Kirke lying in a bed of smocked white linens, clad in the brand’s signature Soliman tiered pima cotton lawn dress, with an exaggerated length and 800-inch sweep.
Shot by Carlota Guerrero within the uptown Lotte New York Palace hotel, Cortbawi said the campaign’s inspiration was to take a “strong woman with character,” i.e., Kirke (who’s Brooklyn-based, like the brand), who is “unapologetically herself and comfortable in her body.”
The idea directly tied into her ready-to-wear inspiration of “rest is resistance,” as seen via Kirke in various intimate scenes in the hotel wearing her latest looks slightly layered, or “as they are.” Cortbawi’s fashions have always been about ease, with special hand-done details, but shone through the lens of quiet fashions in quiet moments. For instance, Kirke perched on a windowsill wearing a new smocked organic cotton jersey turtleneck and cotton twill, side-button skirt; lying in the bath in a menswear-inspired mulberry pin-striped cotton midi-dress, or lounging in bed in a one-shoulder smocked 1900 Catalan dance-inspired floral print cotton and silk frock.
The line expanded Cortbawi’s breezy, sweet world with new separates in cobalt blue denim, sage green chambray and chunky wool and nylon knit layers, which made for nice transitional layers to her high-summer specialty flounced, smocked, eyelet, tiered and embroidered dresses, skirts and blouses.
