A Clements Ribeiro show is always a glimpse into the deeply serious yet dreamy and creative minds of Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro. For Spring it was one better: a glimpse into their studio-slash-home. "It s kind of a journey through our house," Clements said backstage. "There s toile de Jouy. We have lots of botanical pressed things, lots of plants, lace curtains."
The close-at-hand inspiration didn t make for an enormous leap, but an evolution of ideas the designers have been pondering over a couple of seasons. That long midi silhouette to the calf became slimmer and primmer, the latter unavoidable when you re dealing with faded-wallpaper florals and lace. But something like a bright intarsia blocked twinset and striped lace pencil skirt was still far from being staid.
The duo seems to be in a happy and confident place. They know their strengths, and they re sticking to them. Topping that list: their techno-romantic digital prints. They figured heavily in the new pull-on-and-go athletic direction here of slim, printed silk pants and shorts with (chic) elastic waistbands and matching racerback tanks and boxy tees. "It s just what I m in the mood for wearing," said Clements, sporting a version of the look from a recent collaboration with the Museum of Everything. That sort of easy separate is never a bad idea when you re looking to broaden sales. Still, pieces like a top with two florals engineered to look like raglan sleeves didn t seem like a cheap ploy to cash in. The show ended on a high note with a twisty op-art print thrown into the sweet mix: It had shades of Alice in Wonderland. Well, there s one girl who figured out that there s no place like home.
