What is cool? Hard to say. Trying to define "cool" is a bit like trying to explain the taste of salt. It just is what it is. Something is either cool, or it s not. Peter Som has not, historically, proved a designer much interested in the particular codes and poses of cool; he likes a ladylike look, a tailored fit, a peppy print, a general atmosphere of poshness. So it was interesting, today, to see Som make a typically disciplined effort to conjure a slouchy downtown attitude.
The results were mixed. Som has a huge hit on his hands with his baggy watercolor print board shorts, part of a new denim collaboration with Earnest Sewn, and his graphic patchwork snakeskin was definitely punchy. Gold leopard trousers and a marled orange knit made for an off-kilter pairing, while the matching printed tops and long flounced skirts had a bohemian mien. Overall, Som seemed to be testing various ways of approaching cool, like a cat stalking tricky prey—a little street-y cool, a little retro cool, a little ragtag cool, a little hippie cool. To his credit, the clothes worked. Assiduousness goes a long way.
Anyway, Som wasn t really trying to do cool. He was trying do cool enough—to conjure just enough of a demimonde mood to satisfy a clientele comprising women who live uptown but who don t necessarily want to look like they do. As he said backstage after the show, he saw this collection as "Courtney Astor meets Courtney Love." That s not to say they met halfway. Most of this show was dedicated to oh-so-sweet looks—lots of floral, a bit of lace, a dappling of crystal. Even the cropped bustiers came off rather prim, which was a nice thing, actually. Yes, much of this stuff was a touch Louis Vuitton Spring 12, but for women who want to look pretty, that aesthetic will continue to resonate. Likewise, the tropical vibe of some of the clothes seemed like a bit of a retread. But as those killer board shorts show, Som is moving forward, with all deliberate speed.
