Jill Stuart s fall collection marked a change in direction, with some looks suggesting a new horizon, and a few others pointing toward a dead end. From the cossack-collared trapeze coat that opened the show—and the black-clad rocker girls who followed—there was an air of London cool that swept down the runway, erasing any thought of Stuart s usual sugary, ornamental fare. Instead the emphasis was on long and lean: great coats and sweeping skirts slit up the front and worn with blouson-sleeve blouses for an equestrienne-meets-goth vibe, and skinny black jeans, beaded vests, and a mouse-print minidress that seemed to be cut with the young and slender in mind.
Stuart was trying to push the envelope, but she still wants to cater to a wide audience; for every downtown look—such as the Dior-esque black-and-silver-striped minidress with matching scarf—there was something safer, like the bare-backed jersey gowns which were vying for a spot on the charity gala circuit.
The designer mostly achieved her aim of making this collection "cleaned up and modern," but with a show comprising 50 looks, there was certainly room to edit: There were too many Empire and thirties-inspired dresses, and some of them just looked like vintage redone. Yes, there was a sense that Stuart is more clued in to how young women dress today, but the designer hasn t entirely abandoned the past.
