Cult Gaia’s Dreamy Resort Collection Takes Inspiration from Fairytales

When Cult Gaia’s Jasmin Larian Hekmat began conceptualizing her new resort collection, the designer kept having visions of her woman in a fairytale setting. “It started with this vision of a castle in the distance,” said Hekmat. A narrative for the season then formed. “She has her basket, and starts collecting things of beauty that she finds along the way—strawberries, flowers, butterflies. These become objects that you see in the clothes she wears. It was this idea of spontaneity, elegance, and discovery—it’s a very dreamy collection.

For a brand like Cult Gaia—which specializes in upbeat summer dresses and fun vacation wear—creating a collection centered around fantasy and escapism isn’t a far stretch. But the designer aimed to incorporate whimsical details that were a little sweeter and more playful than the usual fare. Her long maxi dresses, for one, had cascading flowers running off the shoulders, or crocheted floral work all over. A pink statement plissé dress also had a sculpted flower at the bust—like sporting an arrangement. “It’s going to be everyone’s summer wedding dress,” said Hekmat, who is no stranger to providing frocks for special occasions.

The color scheme of the collection had sprightly pops of color throughout. “I had fun with keeping colors grounded, and then adding a few different pops,” she said, “but I really wanted her to feel as grounded as possible.” Her mint green dress, with a draped back and ruching in all the right places, served as one such injection of color; equally as fresh was the grape-shaped handbag she designed to go with it. Other standout accessories for resort include a new clutch style shaped like a vase with flowers poking out of it, and strappy sandals boasting sculpted lilies. The designs came out of a totally spontaneous idea, nodding back to the collection’s theme of playfulness. “I literally took a flower that was in my office, and I just wrapped it around my foot,” she said.

While the assortment leaned into Cult Gaia’s familiar dresses, Hekmat also introduced more casual offerings—including a foray into denim, a new category for the label. “Denim is becoming a much bigger part of our collection,” said Hekmat, who recently collaborated with Gap. “It’s so important to be able to dress her beyond just an event.” The new jeans feature heavy gold hardware, and she also showed khaki two-piece sets with cropped, corseted jackets and cargo-style pants.