I remember reading a while back that the paintings of Alex Katz were a big influence on the spring collection from Steven Alan.  I wasn't familiar with the painter so I set about trying to find out a bit about him.  What I discovered are these cheerfully colored painting depicting scenes from what looks like a pretty great summer vacation (despite the melancholy look on the subjects faces).
Alex Katz (Contemporary Artists (Phaidon))
Learn more
Carter Ratcliffe  I sort of want to tell everyone, "Cheer up!  It's summertime!" 

I can definitely see the influence on the colors of the Steven Alan collection although the brighter colored pieces aren't my favorites.  I tend to like the muted colors better.  But looking at these paintings does make me want to take a summer vacation that includes laying on the beach with friends and rowing in a canoe and wearing pretty much everything from the Steven Alan Collection.