David Koma sets his Resort 2026 womenswear collection in a space between contradiction and control. Revisiting the structured elegance of 1960s femininity, he starts not with nostalgia, but with tension, the kind hidden beneath floral dresses, corseted waists, and crisp pearls. After rewatching Mad Men, Koma returns to familiar characters like Betty Draper and Megan Calvet with new interest. Their visual polish conceals a more complex code, and that friction, between surface and interior drives the collection forward.
Koma does not recreate the decade. He strips it for parts and rebuilds. What appears soft, delicate, and obedient turns into something edged and knowing. The lace is sheer. The bows point downward. Hotpants replace pencil skirts. Twinsets arrive cropped and clustered with pearls, placed for suggestion.
Whisper-light lace and sheer tulle sit next to tweed made for shimmer. Ruched mesh dresses cling tight to the body. A satin cardigan, studded with pearls, closes just enough to keep the rest unreadable. In this space, Koma sets softness against structure. Sculptural lines hold their place even when made from slinky materials. Bow ties drape without losing control. A traditional silhouette might arrive with an exposed back or a cut-out bust.
Florals dominate the decoration, but they never settle into sweetness. Bonded lace petals cluster across bras, panties, and babydolls, turning intimacy into surface design. On sheer mesh, satin and lace roses float with near transparency, drawing attention to what lies beneath rather than hiding it. The floral motif sharpens in metal. Chrome vines wrap around cut-outs. Silver studs trace outlines, imprinting flowers where skin shows through. Even denim doesn’t escape the tension, it transforms from casual utility into sculptural volume. Slouchy jeans stiffen. Jackets sculpt the torso.
Koma extends the narrative through color. The palette draws from Mel Ramos’ muses: buttercup yellow, powdery lilac, pearlescent white, jet black. These tones land across satin, mesh, and faux leather. Black-and-white stripes push toward pop, most often in athletic knits or glossy textures.
References stay sharp. Ramos’ Maidenform Molly informs Koma’s use of the bust as a frame. He inserts squared-off cut-outs that reveal lingerie with intention. In one look, the cut sits perfectly above a bandeau. In another, it exposes the seam of a bralette.
