In reviews of previous Felder Felder seasons, it s always seemed important to point out that designing twins Annette and Daniela Felder are exceptionally lithe and long-limbed girls who stand about six feet tall. That fact helped make sense of the Felder Felder clothes: To a great extent, Annette and Dani design for themselves. But something has changed, and the size and shape of the Felder twins doesn t seem so relevant anymore. The poised and pretty collection they showed today was stocked with clothes for women with all kinds of bodies, like soft suede suiting and relaxed halter-neck gowns. Even the Felders trademark fit-and-flare dress has evolved, taking on a more supple and forgiving silhouette.
This season also charted real growth in separates. Flared shorts, crop tops, sheer palazzo pants, and trim, V-neck button-downs all added dimension to a collection that was still, mainly, about dresses. The Felders should keep emphasizing those kinds of mix-and-match pieces, because they worked. And they should continue to develop their vocabulary of embellishment: This time out, they traded their usual punkish studs for fluttering scraps of chiffon, and in general, that worked, too. (Though a little of the chiffon went a long way.) Overall, this collection proved that the Felder twins can design for a more mature albeit still youthful clientele. As noted above, they do design for themselves.
