Given the inclement conditions that greeted fashion week, Perry Ellis marked the occasion with an appropriately empathetic handout: an umbrella. Perfect as well for the weather that generally prevails in Scotland, the setting that John Crocco s collection suggested. Backstage, he insisted he s not into specifics and it was more Perry s elusive whimsy he was after, rather than the evocation of any particular time or place. But take the huntin , shootin , and fishin subtext, mix it up with a mess of tartan, stir in a stag intarsia, a hint of retro and you ended up with a distinct house-party-in-the-Highlands vibe. And that particular whimsy was helped along by droll styling touches, like deerstalker hats and wellies that amplified the collection s utilitarian details: the stitched half-belt on jackets and coats, the elbow patches, the welted seams and toggle closings. The strength of the collection was in its outerwear and knitwear, particularly a shadow-plaid coat and a long, slouchy cardigan (that felt pretty Perry). The purple puffer vest thrown over a pinstripe suit had an edge of contemporary casual. But a shirt in a quilted velvet, another in an exploded paisley (with matching tie) were simply peculiar. And if knit leggings make model Chad White s thighs looks freakish, what hope is there for Average Man?
