Alexis Mabille is the kind of designer who builds drama into every look, who is hellbent on uber-feminine silhouettes and yards of frou-frou fabrics like lace, velvet, and crushed organza. This season, he pulls the reins tighter on all of the fluff and presents a more streamlined collection that offered traces of masculinity in every look, and thereby offers balance. Although we’ve seen the tuxedo jacket on his Couture runway before for both Fall 2012 and Fall 2013, this time he deconstructed the jacket and turned it into silk bodice strapless evening gowns, and cropped it into toreador lengths and printed it with lace. The masculine influence on his theatrical frocks and gowns was a boon to the collection, and ended up creating an undercurrent of restrained sensuality. Some of his looks were absolutely jaw-dropping, especially his creamy embroidered mermaid gown, and the red silk corrugated overlay on an especially divine evening dress. There were a few current takeaways that will appeal outside of occasion-dressing like his body-conscious lace jumpsuit and minidresses paired with furs, but for the most part his smart reinterpretation of menswear for Couture was the heartbeat of the collection.
Photos: Courtesy of Imaxtree
