Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has built his reputation atop a mountain of plush toys and playful rehashes of pop touchstones; in recent seasons he s referenced Cocteau and John Everett Millais Ophelia, so something as quotidian as a French Riviera theme came as more of a shock than his papal robe ever could.
But the designer s take on the Riviera for JC de Castelbajac s Resort 15 collection was mercifully more than Breton stripes and a far cry from the saccharine, retro-inspired fare that often goes hand in hand with To Catch a Thief/Bardot references. Instead, de Castelbajac offered up a graphic, tongue-in-cheek take on the Sud. A basket-weave motif was central, seen in prints from micro to macro, to different effect: While a tiny incarnation had classic appeal, the same shapes felt downright delightfully bondage-y when translated into oversize straps on a pair of tight white high-waisted shorts. Close-fitting intarsia knits will do well for brisk nights on the Croisette (or a Meatpacking rooftop) and looked just as nice dressed up with Lurex in an abstract beach umbrella design.
In mashing up classic silhouettes like sixties A-line shifts with sportier pieces such as sweatshirts and bombers, de Castelbajac—who threw his hat into the inter-season ring just last year—has created clothes that may be destined for broader appeal than his typical fare. To say nothing of charming bagatelles like trompe l oeil detailing or text ("Sur la plage abandonnée") tucked into a shimmering, sheer kick pleat on a pencil skirt. Elsewhere, embroidered olive parakeets trimmed flyaway edges and perched on shoulders. And perhaps de Castelbajac has hit on something here: Never underestimate the power of an avian pocket or epaulet to delight.
