The Winter of Eden
With a new sculpted feel, the Autumn Winter 2019 collection by Clare Waight Keller reconciles geometries with an innate softness, revealing a seductive glimpse of Givenchy élan. Emerging from within each character, the romance of decades and genres is deconstructed for women who dress with an effortless verve.
Emphasizing a duality of round and sharp structure, the silhouette marries tailoring and flou, gravitating towards tweedy Japanese herringbone and cavalry twill against the dramatic flourish of taffeta, the crush of nylon, and cascading stretch plissé. From the reptilian to the botanical, embroideries and textures are infused with nocturnal allure, in a lush winter garden of cloisonné blossoms, serpent scales, and crystalline trees.
In a veritable canon of tailoring fabrics, peak lapel coats with bold shoulders are belted at the waist in contrasting textures of tweed and check wools, shading from pale greys through to rust and teal. Viscose shell knitwear, self-stripe denim, and razor-sharp twill blazers are layered with single-pleat flare and bootcut trousers, whilst an assemblage of quilted nylon and PVC textures creates hybrid pieces of sports outerwear – their texture and structure matched by puff sleeve bustiers in taffeta or bonded lace.
Creating vase-like silhouettes, a succession of cloisonné pleated floral separates and column dresses are finished with curling cuffs and collars, as touches of wild flora and fauna appear on digital print crêpe blouses or a python trench. From a tuxedo lapel to flowing parachute gowns, monochrome eveningwear is embellished with weeping willow embroidery in crystal, sequin, and bugle beading.
