International woman of mystery? Not a bad jumping-off point for a Pre-Fall debut, and it was Greta Garbo s turn as Mata Hari that Christian Siriano looked to when designing his latest collection. (He s added this season to his calendar to suit the needs of his many customers in warmer climes—e.g., Dallas, Abu Dhabi—who might typically skim over a Fall offering.) Mata Hari may have been a figure of questionable repute, but Siriano zeroed in on the famous exotic dancer-cum-spy s costumes as interpreted for a 1931 audience: sex appeal sans much skin, exploring the sensual potential of high necklines and long sleeves. Where both gowns and separates were concerned, Siriano emphasized the quietly erotic—a strappy, laser-cut neckline; a slashed sleeve to expose a sliver of forearm. But there were attention-grabbing elements to spare, thanks to fabrications like a clingy metallic windowpane jacquard, jewel-encrusted satin, and a striated burnout velvet. That last fabric spoke to Siriano s assessment of his eveningwear customer s current tastes: "She wants to look a bit cooler—but not too much."
