Upon first glance, Kirk Pickersgill’s new resort collection for Greta Constantine does not evoke the word “grit.” Feminine, frilly, soft—yes—but certainly not grungy. And yet, a grittier sensibility is exactly what drove the designer forward this season: After working with the Canadian model Stef Bonomo on a shoot, he was inspired to translate her punky, edgy style into his own gala wear. She served as a muse, if you will. “I just wanted a sense of grit and normalcy to the clothing—something that’s easy, yet unique,” says Pickersgill.

The sentiment has actually been driving the designer for the past few seasons now—toning down his love of frills and bows and maximalism in favor of elegant, quietly formal gowns. For resort, he showed some of his most subdued designs yet. A soft-pink, long-sleeved maxi gown had a white sheer overlay and a square neckline, and a black sleeveless column gown was designed in a plushy, floral-printed velvet. The most intriguing frock was a gray floor-length sheath dress with built-in draping to one side: It’s designed in a fabric that doesn’t wrinkle, meaning it’s a statement dress that can quite literally be thrown into a carry-on and busted out to be worn on the go. Compared to his more fanciful former offerings, the proposal felt fresh and, frankly, chic.

Still, there were hints of Greta Constantine’s outré past, too. One of his passion projects this season was developing a piped ruffling technique: A pink sleeveless gown featured the craftwork over a mesh overlay (his version of a naked dress). While intricately done, it was a lot. “What can I say,” said Pickersgill, “I love ruffles.”