Show notes are always to be taken with a grain of salt. Still, you had to raise an eyebrow, looking again at the first line of the release accompanying Antonio Berardi s new collection. "A drive toward minimalism…" it read. But simply put, this collection had a lot going on: collage-style construction. Sculptural flourishes. Windowpane effects. Hand-painted chain embroidery. Sparkly lamé. A panoply of intense textures, many of them juxtaposed in the same look. And that s an incomplete list of the ideas Berardi was playing with this season. His usual Amazonian sexuality came through, and there were a handful of very nice pieces, like the gray flannel coat with raised pockets, or the show-closing embroidered gown with nicely judged bell-shaped sleeves. But too many of the looks here came off heavy and/or cluttered. Assuming the show notes reflect at least Berardi s intent, then his instinct toward restraint is a good one. To get there, he ll have to tighten the reins.
