INSPIRED this season by Alice in Wonderland, iconic New York designer Vera Wang held true to her psychedelic fairytale muse with a collection of youthful, cutting-edge designs for spring, that betrayed not a hint of the show-stopping gowns and bridal wear she’s become synonymous with.
To the childlike melody of an antique music box, complex sporty-meets-Victoriana ensembles stepped on to the catwalk in colour-blocked layers of pristine white, moving slowly into graphic bursts of abstract print and colour – starting with yellow and seamlessly graduating into grey, pale peppermint, rose and hot pink, cobalt and indigo.
The high-octane front row appeared particularly roused by the final floor-length numbers - Beyone and Solange Knowles, Chanel ambassador Jen Brill and Kim Kardashian in apparent awe as they took to the floor.
The collection was clearly an exploration of tailoring and transparency, the two elements combining to create an inspiringly ultra-modern and unique vision.
Hoods and drawstrings on jackets and vests, along with super-short shorts added an athletic edge to the long gossamer layers and feminine frills – in the form of peplums on almost every dress, vest and jacket. The addition of bodice and corset-inspired garments and detailing - consistent throughout - was a clever nod to the fetish-wear getting so much traction of late (thank to style influencers Lady Gaga, Rhianna and Katy Perry, who have all sported harnesses recently) – but approached in such a chic, subtle manner.
While Wang’s latest wares may have been more aspirational than usual (in particular the tulle and organza super-pique meringue-like mini-skirts that might easily have originated from a psychedelic dream), the majority of the collection was original and keenly wearable.
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