Desert Vibes

The dress is a striking garment in the Australian tradition of summerwear, where the aim is to look as if you have just stepped in from the beach, no matter how far inland you might be. A garment like this, so light and simple, so full of the promise of sunlit leisure, can be worn anywhere, and since it can be worn anywhere, it is worn everywhere, always with the same effect of casual chic. The black and white scheme is a classic of the mode, here rendered in arresting geometric shapes that have an almost Op Art effect while remaining resolutely friendly to the eye. The fabric looks as if it would be cool and soft to the touch, and the way it falls in the photograph suggests that it would be cool and soft to the eye as well. The thin crisscross straps, in particular, are a stroke of design genius, creating interest at the back while providing the support that is so essential when the wearer is as active and intrepid as the Australian climate so often requires her to be.