Jenny Packham looked to post-Revolutionary France, and 1990s minimalism, for a collection well-suited to these straitened times. Tellingly, there was only one ballgown in the collection and even that had minimal embellishment.
The designer said she was interested in “how fashion moved on” after pivotal moments such as the French Revolution and World War I. The years following both wars ushered in huge societal changes and saw women’s dress become simpler, and far less restrictive.
Packham still managed to get her glamorous point across with a black gown and matching cape, each of which had a single ribbon of military regalia, picked out in gold fringing, rippling down the front. Another slim black gown had strong shoulders and placement embroidery on just one of the shoulders, and a single sleeve.
Other dresses had a sporty feel, including a silvery sequined gown with short trumpet sleeves, and a long gold number with shoulder straps. One black gown had glittering embellishment that ran in stripes down the front, elongating the figure.
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Shorter dresses, too, had a youthful kick to them. One had a deep-V neck, a big bow at the waist and a hint of sparkle shot through the fabric. Others had sporty straps on the shoulders and across the back, and were made for ease of movement — dancing, strolling around, or working the room.
