Alessandra Rich riffed on the naughty ingénue repertoire she favors for her fall presentation; to make the message coming across, the label’s Art Deco showroom was set up as a boudoir. In one of the rooms of the sprawling marble-lined space, a decadent four-poster bed was bedecked with white lace curtains and a red velvet bedspread. Models took turns languidly lying down: With the presentation coming at the end of a long day after weeks of non-stop fashion shows, this reviewer couldn’t help but feel jealous.
The lineup featured short coquettish confections in virginal (so to speak) white lace, counterpointed by vamp-ish slinky numbers in dramatic black velvet. Plunging necklines, frills and ruches abounded, as did marabou trimmings, short hemlines, see-through chiffon and bows galore—the entire arsenal of girly seduction was on call. It’d look a bit obvious if it weren’t for Rich not taking herself too seriously; there’s always a humorous undertone in the way she looks at stereotypical femininity. She’s also wise enough to give her customers (whose daughters also come to her for fun, sexy party dresses) a wider offer—interspersed between bows, frills and frivolous frocks there were tailored daywear suits in tartan wool, separates in soft mohair with jewel buttons, flattering tweed dresses, blousons and trench coats in black or caramel leather. Said Rich: “Women have so many different sides to them, they just have to give themselves permission to have fun exploring them all.”
