A bit bohemian, a bit badass. Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro started off their show trying to steer a folk-y Slavic inspiration into edgier, more modern territory. At its most basic, their solution could be summed up as "just add pleather." The first look out was a rich scarf-y floral-print top paneled with black synthetic leather and tucked into a glossy dirndl in the same stuff.
But a Clements show is never one-note. A crucial element to the mix-mastery was the color-blocked intarsia cashmeres, which were once a signature item beloved by the label s fans. They recently returned to them with a big push in the newly relaunched men s and women s pre-fall collections, both shown last month. In fact, many of the hip-length or longer cardies were actually from the men s collection. (They re expanding the range of men s sizes in order to effectively make it unisex.) The sweaters bright geometry informed the show s eighties New Wave look, while their slouch added a menswear swagger to great-looking wide, hip-slung trousers.
In all, there was a sense of newness here where the last three collections felt like they had more of a continuous thread. But the shift wasn t entirely smooth. Piece by piece, there was a lot to win new fans and please loyalists, but as a whole there was something that felt less exquisitely rendered than you expect. Blame it on growing pains. There s more clicking and whirring than ever in the house of Clements Ribeiro, and that includes a new Web site, which went live just yesterday. "I m trying to make it as un-corporate as possible," said Clements. "It s going to be my mini-magazine."
