Ever since they launched their label, Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs have been dogged by criticism that their hyper-body-conscious clothes could work only on women with long, lean, model-esque bodies. The fat-free pencil dress, detailed with architectural cutouts, remains the Cushnie et Ochs signature. There were some slick-looking versions in this safari-inflected collection, like the olive-toned sheath with laces or the not-for-the-faint-of-heart white number, with its barely-there halter-neck bodice. That said, this collection found Cushnie and Ochs in a more egalitarian frame of mind—you could easily see women of varied shapes and sizes snapping up the duo s excellent technical knits, in particular the taut cropped sweater with slashed sleeves. Meanwhile, the short, flared dresses were relatively forgiving, while looks like a leopard-printed neoprene sheath and matching coat had an accessible, sophisticated modesty. The swimwear was another story—but then, cutout and super-sexy works for that category. Cushnie and Ochs cut a mean suit.
