A Strange Kind of Light: Lindsay Vrckovnik

Blumarine

Walter Chiapponi’s Fall outing for Blumarine envisioned a woman that expresses herself through emotions and the glee of getting dressed: This direction translated in a slew of leopard coats worn alongside skin-tight knickers, or through sheepskin fur teamed with lace opera gloves. Albeit all the efforts in making layering a cozy game and adding a pared-down spin on the feminine side (that meant hemlines zoomed in well above the knee and see-through), this was a collection that lacked both in execution and cohesion. Models had anguished guises, textiles were poorly cut and the fabric manipulations had a lackluster feel throughout. It would be interesting to see where Chiapponi’s creative vision will lead him, particularly across the fixtures of a brand that had always bet on chic sensuality with a playful edge to match.

Gucci

Kudos to Gucci, though, who sits at the opposite side of the spectrum. The house continues to ride the wave of quiet luxury: Fall incorporated slightly subversive tailoring that respected the brand’s artisanal codes, taking away all the fuss and maintaining a breezy edge that recalled that of previous seasons. To wit—the key item of the season is the coat, made in fabrics that propose both a masculine and feminine silhouette: bombers, peacoats and leather jackets were amid this season’s standouts, done in lace—cut and reconstructed—embellished with embroideries and velvet details. Best of all, the pool of accessories looked super light: a new handle bag with a flat and perforated logo reveals what lies beneath, crafted in nappa with a silky feel and rendered with a layer that makes it airy and soft to the touch. What’s more, a clutch embellished with a gold-toned metal bar looked pretty exquisite and playful, too.

SUNNEI

Speaking of tongue-in-cheek moments, SUNNEI brought a funny gimmick on stage, by presenting a collection that felt somewhat refreshing: big scarves were layered over octopus hooded pieced, and in the womenswear proposals cinched waists ruled supreme—all in all, there was a nice interplay of the traditional and the avant-garde, given by the strong palette contrasted by rigorous silhouettes that had some sort of freshness to them. Even though all the big (big!) stuff were cool at first sight, nothing groundbreaking made the cut—perhaps the set design that had carpets mimicking the clothes’ textures was a lovely feast for the senses.

MSGM

Rounding up was MSGM’s take of the Côte Basque, which reverberates in a story glittering on the outside and dark in the soul. This season, the wardrobe was reinterpreted and distorted, with the bourgeois heritage ripped apart by zips, studded with crystals. This season showcased a more sophisticated, cleaner and tougher evolution: the muted palette consisting of concrete gray and anthracite, cream and dust pink, with touches of lipstick red and cerulean blue in a deep black world felt grounded in a mature outing.