For one mad moment, a low-necked tank in a sailor stripe signaled Querelle of Brest rather than the dapper gent of means whom Ozwald Boateng usually courts with his clothes. And even though this Givenchy collection didn t turn out to be quite that revolutionary in the end, Boateng did cut loose a little. It wasn t just those sailor stripes. The designer was toying with Givenchy s classic bourgeois heritage, spicing it up with a sprinkle of tasty crassness. So there was a sheer polo shirt, and an old gold leather bomber with matching tie, and some trompe l oeil byplay with layered tops. And how about a broad-shouldered tux in mint green?
Boateng didn t put all his eggs in such a tricky basket, however. He also offered navy-striped suits, a seersucker ensemble, and a chambray jacket with jeans, any of which would pass muster at a smart-casual BCBG affair in Paris. But the solo fingerpoppin strut with which the designer always signs off suggested his true allegiance lies with the show-off.
