Sea’s New Collection Is A Love Letter To Craftwork
The beloved New York brand’s art-inflected collections invest romantic, vintage-inspired pieces with a cool, downtown sensibility
In the age of being forever switched on, there is something refreshing, luxurious even, about the act of deliberately slowing down. That is just one of the reasons why women who are used to keeping pace with the fast lane gravitate towards the designs of a New York-based brand that brings traditional, time-honored craft techniques up to date: Sea.
Renowned for its artisanal aesthetic, Sea was established in 2006 by childhood friends Monica Paolini and Sean Monahan. Their successful creative partnership is proof that opposites attract: Paolini tends to favor pieces with a vintage feel, while Monahan gravitates toward more modern, streamlined styles. Those contrasts are parlayed into the distinctive Sea look – equal parts romantic bohemia and downtown cool – that has made the brand a hit with the likes of Ana de Armas and Sienna Miller. It’s the eclectic Sea spirit that means you’re as likely to spy one of their pieces at a summer wedding as you are on a weekend trip to a farmers’ market (it also, by the way, makes them a no-brainer for vacations).
“A collection which finds itself snugly and stylishly located bang in the middle of wistful nostalgia and forward-looking modernity
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Patchwork, puffed sleeves and pilgrim collars – found on voluminous dresses, flirty blouses and quilted jackets – are recurring hits in the distinctive Sea design narrative. For spring/summer ’23, however, they re-energized those signatures, running them through a surprisingly abstract, graphic lens. The result? A collection that finds itself snugly and stylishly located bang in the middle of wistful nostalgia and forward-looking modernity.
Take this season’s standout ‘Kaia’ blouse. The airy linen and cotton bowling shirt is splashed with kaleidoscopic applique detailing for a bold effect; yes, there are matching shorts, but it would look equally good with denim or under some quietly luxurious tailoring. Or consider the ‘Leona’ dress, with its playful, wavy cutouts – it’s a little bit cheeky, a little ‘wink wink’ of a piece. And then there’s the ‘Willa’ blouse with its sculptural sleeves and oversized collar; the exaggerated proportions mean it looks both sweet and strong. Each piece has the ability to shift gear seamlessly from Monday morning meetings to Friday evening cocktails to Sunday afternoon strolls.
Elsewhere, sampler-style quilting, embroideries and rick-rack trims are testament to the human touch that always runs through a Sea collection. Chiming with the new mood (an evolution of sorts, rather than a revolution) are sharper, abbreviated silhouettes. Hems graduate higher, cuts are narrower. Pieces with a tomboyish sensibility – like camp-collar shirts, waistcoats and relaxed, fluid pants – hint at a newfound sense of adventure.
Paolini and Monahan’s gently nostalgic outlook is undeniably romantic. Just try wearing a cropped broderie anglaise tie-front blouse, generously ruffled maxi skirt or floral duchesse satin midi tunic and not feeling a little bit more whimsical. But above all, the collections are a love letter to craft and make the case for honoring and protecting them in contemporary life. And wouldn’t you agree that there’s something refreshing, something luxurious, in that? The Sea woman might like precious pieces, but she is never limited by a precious attitude.
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