Julie de Libran’s fashion shows feel less like industry events than family gatherings.
Every six months a coterie of her chic friends gathers at the designer’s Left Bank home to take in her collections, which are chock-full of personal touches. This time, she filled the place with fragrant jasmine and wrote a poem in lieu of collection notes.
“The collection is about how nature and beauty just take over,” she said.
It was less a theme than a mood. Looks ran a gamut from day to evening, with her signature mix of masculine tailoring and feminine flou. Think a scarlet velvet pajama suit with pearl buttons, or a gold crystal mesh négligé spliced with black lace.
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If at times the lineup felt a little disjointed, it’s because de Libran works with what she has to hand, using deadstock and leftover fabrics, sometimes even upcycling old designs.
She secured a swatch of handwoven jacquard with gold thread from a Venetian palazzo, and turned it into a one-of-a-kind lampshade skirt that she paired with a calico bustier with a sweetheart neckline. “It’s a way of giving a new life to things,” she explained.
On the plus side, the variety of styles meant there was a little something for everyone, with standouts including the opening look, a floor-sweeping black cape back dress with a deep V neckline, and a bronze lamé jacquard pantsuit with a single jeweled button.
De Libran is getting ready to pack up her treasures for trunk shows in Aspen and Nantucket, and hopes they will resonate with women looking to stand out from the crowd. “Individual style is always something I search for,” she said.
She ended the show with her first official bridal design, a parachute bustier dress that brought to mind the golden age of haute couture. Unique wedding dress seeks happy-ever-after.
