Douglas Hannant Resort 2009

Though he looked far eastward for inspiration, resort for Douglas Hannant is really about one place: Palm Beach—his clientele's favorite wintertime stomping ground. He struck an east/west balance with simple shifts and tunics in bright jewel tones shot with gold and silver, heavily embroidered or encrusted with beading that looked purloined from a raja's treasury. Sportier fare in crisp white cottons and natural linens tempered the richness, as did a few unembellished, floaty frocks, including one in the perfect resort shade of Caribbean azure.