Glamorous Grace
One of the most significant changes in fashion has been occasionwear, and A/W 23 delivered on point. Stay-at-home consumers who have been quick to embrace the opportunity to ‘dress up’ will appreciate the meteoric rise in versatile and feminine dressing. These two prerequisites run concurrently and are becoming more familiar with the blurring of daywear and evening wear realities, set to inspire on a whole new level. With the onset of the overarching trend of going back to dressing up, designers harked back to several houses’ original codes. There is a strength in the outcome with some serious clothes to get very serious about. Oliver Rousteing at Balmain dug into the archives with its New French Style, zeroing in on the founder’s pinch-waist Jolie Madame silhouette from 1953 and Dior-esque full-circle skirts, which have appeared in several collections. Emelia Wickstead, Simone Rocha, and Erdem tapped into this feminine revival.
The return of the feminine continues with a high femme sensuality and a casualized romanticism, with brands balancing out delicate design details with unexpected colours and a clash of textures and print. Ulla Johnson, typically known for her eclecticism, combined these aesthetics in a ruffled off-shoulder top with a tulip skirt. While a more traditional take on femininity was also key at Caroline Herrera, the look nodded to retro silhouettes in vibrant colour floral prints and luxe materials that were used to emphasize the feminine waist. The pull towards long-lasting and sophisticated designs gained traction in slimline silhouettes. The columnar dress iterations appeared in varying materials and prints, making it an everlasting item for a keepsake wardrobe. In fact, this simple sheath ran through most collections, including some beautiful pieces cut in textural surafces at Prada, Jason Wu, Fendi, Trove, and Simkhai.
The playback to florals and luxe materials such as crinkle, brocades and hand-woven textured surfaces is part of the elegant and glamorous revival. Christopher Kane, Erdem, and Simone Rocha created collections aimed at the woman who appreciates the elegant, chic, discreet, and mysterious. The triple-layered peplum at Christopher Kane was a pure study in modern elegance. And the surface embroideries, more than ever, showed up in stunning pieces at Prada, in the white bridal gown and skirts. At Jil Sander, the Meiers closed the collection with delicate sparkling flowers on a full-volume dress – sparkling textures key to many of the looks across collections.
Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior fall collection was an ode to Paris in the 50s. Bustier dresses underpinned the lineup, with the era’s razor-pleated and full-volume skirts, the shape further emphasized in crinkled surface effects incorporating stainless steel thread. No look is complete without long elbow gloves, the top handle bag, a tailored belt, and a pair of ladylike pointed toes. No 21. offered the young at heart a subversive entry into dressing up, with lace-edged camisole tops underpinning just about every sultry look and underscoring the intimacy and quality of the clothes.
The fifties are an excellent place to conclude—a time when dressing was essential, and women were breaking away from the austerity of wartimes. And in many ways, designers feel the same empathy, turning to what they know best –creating innovative and beautiful clothing that will remain relevant and seductive for some time.
