This spring, the well-heeled London women who shop at Harvey Nichols’ Knightsbridge store are taking a new approach to dressing up: Rather than opting for a work- aday cocktail dress, they’re pairing a statement top with a skirt or pants. The standout of the trend has been Roland Mouret’s Eugene top (370 pounds, or $570), a wool crepe top with a draped neckline, which ties with a grosgrain ribbon to reveal a glimpse of the wearer’s back.
Harvey Nichols has seen the style fly off its shelves “in the hundreds,” said Anita Barr, group fashion buying director, with deep violet a particularly popular shade. She described the trend as “a shift” in the way women are shopping, noting they’re “embracing the versatility of separates over dresses, for a modern take on occasion dressing.”