For fall, Caroline Bille Brahe, delivered another charming, lace and bow-filled collection—this time with the proverbial icing on top. At a preview, the designer, who was in a more-is-more mood, explained the idea behind the show: “couture meets every day.”
Brahe has been crafting her own, mostly made-to-order clothes for a while. This season she added a made-in-Copenhagen angle as well. Almost all of the pieces were created by local seamstresses from upcycled looks and deadstock fabric. The embellished parka and lace-covered corduroy miniskirt and jeans were all vintage, while a blue coat dress (look 11), the designer said, could be made for (limited run) wholesale.
The show was presented in her husband’s popular boîte, Apollo Bar. The space was small and the intimacy of the event was enhanced by the way the models were spotlit. In the tradition of old haute couture shows, each model appeared individually and they struck poses. The ’80s luxe the designer introduced last season was back in full force with lots of lace, exposed shoulder pads, poufy skirts, and printed silks. A brown velvet jacket with lace-covered polka-dot printed trim (and matching hat) sported leg o’mutton sleeves, and a fitted jacket was made of an upholstery fabric with an 18th century-style meandering floral. Despite these historical touches everything felt desirable and very now.
As always the show was upbeat, and not just because all the models shook a leg to Donna Summer’s “Last Dance” at the finale. Hope is rare these days, yet models in short dresses with endless legs covered by polka dotted tights, and others in beribboned leotards (like a kind of Strawberry Shortcake version of Edie Sedgwick) evoked the spirit of Youthquake when possibilities and prosperity seemed endless. Maybe one day such optimism will once again spread beyond a Caro Editions show.
