Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia’s sophomore Monse collection felt like an extension of their first one — which is a good thing, because consistency is key for any new brand. The deconstructed shirts of spring 2016 are now deconstructed men’s wear-inspired suits. “It was all about figuring out how to make them sexy for a woman,” explained Garcia.
On the runway, a black glittery wool coat — worn over a pin-stripe dress — fell from the back, exposing the shoulders, while a cool off-the-shoulder peplum black tuxedo featured an exposed lining and multiple buttons at the sleeves. A group of striped dresses riffed on the interior lining of a garment; they came in gray and pink, wrapped at the hem, or as a long and languid shirtdress with cutout sleeves.
Eveningwise, there were some hits and misses. The laminated taffeta bubble hems felt a bit forced, although the pink moire faille cutout version, which hit right below the knee and was worn with a black oversize laminated coat, had appeal. All and all, it was a refreshing collection with a point of view — at least Net-a-porter, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Forty Five Ten, Ikram, Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdale’s think so. They all picked up Monse’s debut collection, on the sales floor now.
