There was a new, sleek polish to Alice Temperley’s lineup this season; along with the femininity that characterizes her designs, she imbued them with a sense of strictness and restraint.
Vintage fans that Temperley had found in a museum — and the floral, filigree designs that adorned them — provided inspiration. The designer treated the intricate flowers in a bold way — they appeared on a blue and pink floral jacquard she fashioned into a chic shirtdress with a full skirt. But Temperley also worked the idea with a subtle hand, taking a lip motif that was inspired by a Surrealist design on a fan, and embroidering it sparingly at the neckline and hem of a black tulle column dress.
The sequins, silks and beading in the collection all had a toned-down quality to them, too. One ankle-grazing, blue sequined skirt was grounded with a snug, cable-knit sweater. And another high-waisted black maxi skirt, in panels of tulle and sequins, was paired with a mannish, high-necked shirt with a black neck tie — drawn, the designer said, from Anthony van Dyck paintings.
But while Temperley noted that she’d envisaged the collection as “cleaner and chicer,” there was still the familiar element of romance and escapism to her designs.
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