Save for a leopard print or ruffle here and there, Nili Lotan tends to stick to easy, minimal pieces with just a touch of attitude. In contrast, Resort 2020 looked almost decadent: gold-buttoned military jackets, leather bombers with flashes of metallic leopard, and silk blouses with deep frills at the cuff. Even her basic cashmere sweaters came with new stripes of Lurex, and she trimmed her most low-key camouflage jacket with bullion. Lotan credited Jimi Hendrix for that freer, more romantic sensibility, noting the singular way he mixed vintage military garb with Indian prints and silky scarves. (He would have been really into the leopard-spotted velvet coat, never mind the fact that it will be sold in the women’s section.)

The vibes might also have something to do with Lotan’s newly reorganized business: Last year, she introduced NL, a “core” collection of her best-selling T-shirts, military pants, button-downs, and slipdresses that will be available year-round. Now that she’s got basics covered, perhaps she’s had more room for experimentation in her “real” collection. In addition to those opulent, Hendrix-ian pieces, much of this lineup nodded to rock and roll in the ’70s, a decade Hendrix was tragically absent from. Yves Saint Laurent was a particular touchstone; see the pussy-bow blouses, leather capes, and high-rise skinny jeans. Speaking of which: It’s worth pointing out that it took Lotan a long time to get into waist-cinching denim—as in, nearly 10 years. She’s always been more drawn to pants with a slouchier fit, but the dozens of “evening tops” that are now her signature require slimmer, more elegant lines. Resort’s best top options came in ivory silk with gentle pin-tucking down the plackets—and while many of Lotan’s customers will certainly pair them with high-rise skinnies, they looked even better with her new glossy satin tuxedo pants.