Spring is a season that fits Luisa Beccaria’s penchant for airy, light dresses that seem to bloom from English gardens. Surely they fit the lifestyle of her friends and clients, who actually own English gardens. Or castles, manors and palazzos that have seen generations of women dressed in the ethereal frocks she creates with daughter Lucilla. For women who are not that lucky, the Beccarias provide the dream of living in such fantastical places just by wearing one of their floaty dresses. If fashion is a way to be transported into the beautiful illusion of being someone else if only for a moment, then the Beccarias can make any woman feel like a romantic aristocrat.
This collection was staged as an intimate performance in the label’s showroom, where a string trio of Beccaria-clad young musicians performed classical tunes as guests moved around baskets of flowers. “We wanted to capture the energy of nature, add some vitality and intensity to our ethereal creations,” said Lucilla. To that end, abstract florals hand-painted in vivid colors were printed on chiffon ruffled dresses or cotton sundresses, making for an eye-catching alternative to the usually delicate tones the Beccarias are partial to. Luminous touches—frocks in liquid sequins, glitter appliquéd on macramé—also added variety, as well as slimmer, younger and shorter silhouettes in pops of colors contrasting with more classic billowy concoctions. Opening up to more range and daring to inject novelty into the collections would be a good way of going forward for the Beccarias, without detracting from their consistent, protected universe.
