A certain Northern reserve is characteristic of Veronique Branquinho s work, so it was a (mostly pleasant) surprise to find her jazzing things up for spring. Judy Garland s rendition of "Over the Rainbow" (as well as tracks by Elvis and the Bee Gees) were on the eclectic soundtrack; the models entered the Palais de la Porte Dorée space through sparkling beaded curtains; and there were tiered, beaded, and fringed jersey Charleston dresses on the runway. Tempered with Branquinho s customary restraint, these pieces worked. She also sent out Empire styles, and a standout ivory shift with a lyric fall at the back.
The decorative elements were balanced with the classics-with-a-twist Branquinho s customers crave. This season, she injected a sporty edge, meaning that a trench or a pin-striped Spencer jacket might be paired with a metallic, strapless A-line, or an oxford might top a pair of jogging pants. If the seventies-referencing knicker-length jumpsuits could have been edited out, the slouchy "me era" boots were a cool way to ground this dressier-than-usual outing.
