The much talked-about gown he s made for Lauren Davis Cartagena, Colombia, wedding to Andres Santo Domingo is still under wraps, but Olivier Theyskens was happy to be in New York today, showing off his pre-fall collection. Motifs that are quickly becoming Nina Ricci signatures—short dresses that twist around the body; narrow but never uptight suits; slouchily asymmetric sweaters; and a muted, dusty palette—abounded. This time, they called to mind not club kids coming home from an all-nighter, as the designer s Spring collection did, but the more sophisticated atmosphere of the London and Paris salons of the 1930 s. Imagine Nancy Cunard or Vita Sackville-West lounging in a dove gray dress with a rolled silk neckline that trailed down the bodice like a wisp of smoke, and you get the picture. Equally lovely was a watercolor floral silk evening gown—it d be just the thing for a society wedding, but we re guessing Davis doesn t plan on sharing Theyskens this weekend.
