Some in the States might be surprised to learn that La Perla has a ready-to-wear collection, but judging by the Italian TV personalities in the front row today, the brand s reach in its home country now extends beyond the lingerie drawer. That doesn t mean that the collection ignored its roots. On the contrary, it took a handful of spring trends—eyelet, pale neutrals, miniature florals—and sexed them up with touches of lace and generous helpings of bare skin.
Things began innocently enough. Co-opting Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour as a muse, the show started off with a demure white dress cinched by a black bow—a recurring motif, it would become apparent—and a belted trench with a hem that was lasercut into a floral pattern. The collection quickly moved into vixenish territory, however, with above-the-knee cocktail numbers with bra-cup bodices and (slightly less suggestive) asymmetric, one-shoulder styles. The de rigueur swimsuits were tastefully done in bandeau tops and retro navel-grazing briefs. All in all, it was well executed, but La Perla s ready-to-wear still has a lot of growing to do before it establishes a persuasive identity beyond the boudoir.
