"This is the first time in several seasons that I m not working with super techy fabrics," said Nanette Lepore backstage before her Spring show. Like many designers this week, Lepore found a new freshness in softer, easy—almost deflated—silhouettes and worked with more natural materials that gave the clothes movement. "It s all about romanticism but done in a modern way," she said. The finale series of long, blush-colored embroidered dresses best encapsulated this message. Meanwhile, the real standouts here were several wispy, bias-cut silk slips featuring slim, fluttering peplums that came in vibrant hues like poppy red, daffodil yellow, and aqua blue. Those ultra-feminine numbers aside, Lepore s latest lineup offered plenty of everyday looks, too, including a sharp white leather jacket paired with a mesh sweater and clean, pleated tennis skirt, as well as relaxed suiting separates. "We re dressing women for work again," Lepore added. Playful accessories like collage-printed leather satchels, Birkenstock-like flat sandals, and rubber-soled mules highlighted the collection s youthful appeal. Overall, it felt at once effortlessly relevant and on-brand for Lepore.
