At first glance, it might seem that Uma Wang was working in two visual registers with this collection. The first, vaguely historical, with padded, hoop skirts that were inspired by Piero della Francesca’s depiction of “Madonna del Parto” depicting the Virgin Mary as pregnant. The other, a less referential exploration of volume through intriguing shapes. One suggested garments that adapted to the body’s fullness; the other was about garments sculpted softly around the body—see the twisted torsos, deflated shoulder poufs and curving pant legs. These would have proved interesting construction studies for the designer and her team, who seem well aware that women will experiment with varying proportions as long as they are ultimately balanced and flattering. The rounded blouson parkas were not extra-large relative to the ample pants, while coats created hourglass lines over the protruding skirts. There was tailoring twice the size of the person inside, but one could imagine an architect attracted to the blown-up balance.
These different streams converged through Wang’s taste for fabrics of premium quality and craft, whether double-face cashmere and sumptuous damask, or tea-stained treatments and embroideries split by hand to appear frayed. The delicate flower embroideries near the end were left in tufts on their reverse side (normally the threads are cut), which is difficult to see here but added richness up close. The multitude of volumes also came together through the earthy palette and subtle shift between these complementary and contrasting neutrals.
Whether historical, modernist or somewhere in-between, the looks engaged in the discourse around women ‘taking up space.’ You can see this in the photos, but watching the models on the runway confirmed how—with poise rather than power. Wang said the collection revolved around three words: gesture, femininity, manners. There were instances when these notions might have veered towards forced. But the steampunk aviator eyewear and silver jewelry that melded to fingers and ears certainly lifted della Francesca’s Madonna out of the Renaissance.
