Mood board: Since Natacha Ramsay-Levi took the reigns of the Parisian maison in 2017, she’s been honing her take on the house’s recent bohemianism history, and bringing a soigné modernity and subtle androgyny to the brand. The designer spends her summer holiday on the Greek islands, and her S/S 2020 offering bordered the wardrobe gap between soft summer dressing and city silhouettes, which in recent seasons have become more bourgeois in their neutral tones and tailoring. The show’s opening look – a high neck blouse paired with chunky gold cuffs and pinstripe trousers signalled the soft yet executive mood. Throughout, pinstripe featured in short suits and pencil skirts, paired against gauzy halterneck dresses, lurex pleated skirts, wiggly nautical knits and harem pants. In Ramsay-Levi’s own words, ‘unstudied sophistication’.
Finishing touches: From Bottega to Agnona, brands are proving that chunky chain link jewels are going nowhere for spring. There’s something bourgeois in their sensibility, like the brass buttons on a double-breasted blazer. Ramsay-Levi favoured pavé encrusted or hammered metal cuffs which were styled androgynously on top of long shirt sleeves. Spring also sees the introduction of the sculptural ‘Hobo’ bucket bag (a new style at Prada too) framed with artisanal leather loops.
Best in show: A series of peach pleated dresses at the shows finale, with draped vest top or pussy bow silhouettes and a wispy skirt had modern bohemian appeal. The Chloé woman will be folding one into her Hobo bag on a spontaneous sunny weekend break. Elsewhere, a tuxedo suit with long Bermuda shorts, tapped into the slouchy silhouette of the season.
