OK, everybody. Forget what you thought you knew about Emilia Wickstead, because the designer has suddenly done a fashion volte-face. The old Emilia Wickstead, very much a to-the-manor-born designer, known for her pink and citrus palettes and super-feminine silhouettes, suddenly went all goth-metal today, with a decidedly masculine edge.
The first few looks effectively jolted the crowd wide-awake (half of them were jet-lagged). A featherlight napa leather coat opened the show, and yes, it was beautifully tailored, but definitely dark and masculine. The pearl and Swarovski crystals appliquéd onto the seam lines added a much-needed lightness to the strong look. Then came python prints, which, when combined with a leather skirt, looked like some kind of "don t mess with me" city armor. A Matrix-esque leather coat followed, the whole thing made more armorlike by the "film noir" headgear inspired by a vintage photograph the designer keeps on her desk. These pieces still had Wickstead s hallmark tailoring and fabric innovations, but their look and feel were radically different from anything she has done before.
The crowd palpably relaxed as some more familiar looks came down. A tangerine jumpsuit had Wickstead returning to her citrusy color palette, then dresses in blue and cream lace overlay took us out of the goth-metal clubs and back, safely, to the manor. And then came the jumpsuit. It now seems like a garment we have to accept as a wardrobe mainstay, like a blouse or a trouser, and Wickstead s white take on it was mathematically perfect. As were the honeycomb dresses and coats in a luxurious black crepe that had buyers craning their necks for a closer look.
There were some ensembles that had no right to look good, but did, including a blush pink lace jacket over a python skirt. Its success may have something to do with the fact that Wickstead was using a stylist for the first time (Donatella Musco). Then there were other looks that were immediately gorgeous: namely, a cream and gray floral coat and dress that had sellout written all over them.
Wickstead is still relatively new to the scene, so it s good to know that she isn t getting complacent. Perhaps she felt she was getting pigeonholed into a certain mold and this was her way of breaking out, even if just for a few looks. Message received—and appreciated. After all, in fashion it s always better to surprise than to sedate.
