Nili Lotan is often the first to say her clothes don’t have a lot of hanger appeal. The real essence of her label comes down to how the pieces are actually worn by the NL woman. Lotan herself is the ultimate example: She starts each collection by thinking about what’s missing in her wardrobe and what feels right, and her brand’s consistent growth suggests there’s an increasing number of women who want to follow her instincts. Spring 2020 had many of the core pieces you expect from Lotan—the slouchy pants, silky button-downs, and low-key tailoring—but was in many ways an extension of her decadent, embellishment-heavy Resort collection. Both seasons took their cues from Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards’s onstage style, namely the embellished vests and silky blouses. Lotan doesn’t really do menswear, save for a few collaborations here and there, but the vibe feels right for the current moment, when rockstars and regular guys alike are rethinking the codes of “masculinity.” It’s easy to picture Harry Styles picking up one of those spangly jackets, or even a satin blouse with a few buttons left undone.
Those glam black-and-gold pieces made up half of the collection, and the other was entirely white and beige. These were the more casual, rumpled items Lotan envisioned packing in a suitcase for a trip to Morocco: On an exceptionally hot day in Manhattan, the cream caftan with embroidered trim looked surprisingly fresh (and so much more original than the New Yorker’s go-to slip), and Lotan introduced a relaxed short suit in sand linen. They brought a new, earthy-yet-refined sensibility to Lotan’s repertoire of button-downs and cargos, though her most devoted customers will be more excited to try out her latest pant: a super-full, rounded pair that tapered just above the ankle.