Every so often, you encounter a collection that comes off like a train of thought cut off mid-journey. The Missoni collection presented today was one of those. Two of its key themes—texture and transparency—had been carried over from Spring, and you could pretty much see Angela Missoni s mind whirring as she reworked those ideas for cold-weather clothes. (The same logic applied to another holdover from Spring, a certain intergalactic vibe that ebbed as the palette deepened.)
On the other hand, Missoni seemed to be looking ahead, toward next season, as she introduced menswear elements and unlikely-for-Missoni items such as leather jackets and shorts into her pre-fall lineup. In general, the strongest pieces were the ones that saw the designer playing with texture. There were tonal garments that incorporated various fabrications and weaves, such as a seemingly basic black coat, and garments that added a dimensional component to collage, such as a gray jacket with fuzzy printed sleeves and a cashmere herringbone lining. Elsewhere, this season s transparencies were most successful when subtle—Missoni developed a new lace for the brand and used it head-to-toe in several looks, but it worked best when layered onto a bright turquoise vest in felt, say, or when it winked a bit of upper thigh through a fitted, flared cocktail dress. The menswear elements and leathers, meanwhile, wanted a bit more development. Which they ll probably have received come next season.
