It s hard to use fishnet without it looking trashy. Yet for Fall, Reem Acra managed to incorporate the material into nearly every look without once turning down a sordid path. Acra was inspired by a recent trip to Japan—"I fell in love with it," she said backstage—as well as the work of photographer Daido Moriyama. His close-ups of women in fishnet stockings had clearly left an impression on the designer.
Traditional Japanese embroidery inspired the intricate red floral handwork on several dresses and gowns, along with a black cashmere bomber jacket featuring red and white floral appliqués. The designer used fishnet several different ways. There was a fishnet-print silk sheath dress (cut beautifully on a bias), fishnet-print pumps, and a red crepe gown overlaid with black fishnet. Daywear is bigger than ever for Acra, and it seems like she s really getting the hang of it. It was difficult not to imagine a modern Hitchcock heroine in her "Princess of Wales" check wool dress, high-neck quilted evening coat, and seamed black nylons.
Acra s aesthetic is nothing if not glamorous, and she amped up the glitz with a red and ombré goat-hair coat and plenty of beaded gowns in a restrained palette of black, white, and red. There were more than a few Oscar-worthy stunners, including an ivory column dress with black floral embroidery and a black bugle bead gown paired with—what else?—fishnet gloves.
