Couldn’t the (fashion) world do with a little more simplicity? That was Adam Andrascik’s stance as he carved out a more “direct” aesthetic for the venerable French house.
Since arriving four seasons ago, he’s been looking to bridge the legacy of the brand’s founder — a pioneer of separates — with his own vision. “Looking through the archives, I saw that the best pieces he did were for his friends,” said the designer, who in turn set about imagining what his own circle from back in his college days would like to wear. “Girls who were rebelling against the conformity of certain styles or the prevailing trends, I found that really interesting.” Cue A-line minis in gunmetal lamé and equally brief clean-cut dress shirts in techy iridescent silk with grids of cotton thread woven through to evoke graph paper (one of the look’s peplums even had a neat tear). Even the more classic pieces had a sporty feel, like the acid-green chiffon pencil skirts.
Transparency abounded, with this idea of stripping back climaxing in knee-length sheer shirtdresses that left little to the imagination. But the main idea here was a wardrobe of pieces from which to pick and mix, with more classic options like wide pants, feminine scoop-back dresses and trenches peppering the offer.
While the designer did well to shave off some years compared to last season’s formal outing, the new Guy Laroche woman still needs some more defining, with the collection skewing a little too heavily on the contemporary path.