Joseph gave itself a bit of a reboot this season. In its previous few collections, the brand had drifted into relatively editorial territory, and though some of its propositions were very interesting, the collections as a whole proved a bit digressive. Here, Joseph put itself back on track, reinvesting in its mission to create well-executed staple pieces that the Joseph shopper can mix easily into her luxury wardrobe. Designer Louise Trotter is very good at making her staples look relevant; this season, she updated the signature Joseph coats, knits, and trousers by giving them that oh-so-prevalent sculpturally slouchy shape. The graphic sweaters looked very sharp, as did some of the more outré pieces, like a chevron-patterned sheepskin coat in black and white, and the T-shirt and track pants in a tiger-stripe suede dévoré. But it was the garments with a more taut tailoring that looked the freshest. Women will have a lot of places to go for voluminous coats and trousers next season, but if they re in the market for a trim overcoat in laminated gold wool, or a pair of slender pin-striped pants, then they will be very pleased to find those looks at Joseph. And the standout piece here was as staple as it gets: a nearly weightless baby lambskin jacket in cream, with black leather trim. It s hard to imagine that jacket ever going out of style. Which, this collection reminded you, was always Joseph s point.
