Controlled. Historically, that hasn t been a word you d associate with the eccentric Francesco Scognamiglio. But that s exactly how his Spring show looked tonight, partially bared breasts and exposed underpinnings notwithstanding. Scognamiglio refined his approach this season by zeroing in on a single idea, the trousseau of a woman from the 1920 s, and then reimagining the ivory, peach, and mint blue lace you might find there for a woman of today. Out went the theoretical sack dresses and in came wantable racerback tanks and pencil skirts; bow-neck blouses and neatly tailored trousers; and ruffled hourglass frocks. The caveat, and it s a fairly big one: Everything was either made in peekaboo lace or featured sheer insets strategically placed for maximum exposure, or both. Above the waist, that s nothing a delicate bra couldn t fix, but below it, you ve got to think that it d be a deal breaker for most women—though not perhaps for Lady Gaga, a confirmed Scognamiglio fan.
So why the accolades? For one, it was well executed, and for another, a lot of it looked individual, despite the fact that lace has been in constant rotation since Miuccia Prada fell for the stuff several years ago. A long, bias-cut peach column gown with black lace appliqués and moonstone cabochons would be stunning on Gaga. But Scognamiglio can do simple, too—case in point: a slightly mannish black blazer worn over a minidress in the same peach lace.
