Reem Acra’s show notes — The Secret World of the Femme Fatale — more than hinted at what was to come on the runway: Tons of lacy, boudoir-inspired dresses done in endless inventive cuts strategically crafted to suggest nudity. It was Acra at her best.
A stunning embroidered lace and leather fit-and-flare led the way, its matching underpinnings visible, whereas on other versions, cascading ruffles of chiffon or satin provided just enough cover. There were also strong Art Deco influences in embroidered illusion column gowns, most memorably those with layers of fringe — perhaps the designer’s proposition for the red carpet. But by the end of the show, Acra’s bad girl seemed to have regained her old persona, as the collection finished with a series of traditional glitter-embroidered and chiffon gowns in pretty pastels.