Warning: Molly Goddard is a big believer in fantasy frocks that can shine on a runway but are pretty much useless in real life. For fall, there were quite a few of them, alongside some delightful ones that bore her signature smocking and ruching, as well as some baby-doll and ballgown shapes.
After showing off cotton-candy pink, aqua and coral-colored confections, models sat down at Georgian-style dinner tables, chatted and quaffed Champagne.
“I wanted to look at all generations at the dinner table — how they wear clothes and how they evolve — old ladies, babies, middle-aged women,” said the designer, one of London’s fast-rising talents, who sells at Dover Street Market, I.T in Hong Kong and Nordstrom Space, among other stores.
Some of Goddard’s wilder numbers included a cotton-candy-pink dress with tulle skirts and sleeves like ballooning lampshades, a voluminous white nightgown style with ruffles and smocking — based on a christening dress — and a whopper of an aqua tulle gown that turned out bigger than planned — double the size — due to a mistake with the fabric delivery, according to the designer.
More wearable creations included a pleated trapeze top, a gray cotton pleated dress with pouf sleeves, and a lineup of ruched tulle and Lycra leggings, which looked as delicate as gossamer, but which Goddard insisted were sturdy and comfortable.
An airy green foil A-line dress was lovely, as was a faded mossy-green one with flower embroidery — maybe not be fitting for strolling down the frozen foods aisle of the local Tesco supermarket — but, then again, why not?
