It was “tulipomania” at Vionnet this season, almost to the extent of that great Dutch tulip bubble of 1637, almost. Nonetheless, it’s clear that Goga Ashkenazi wants to syphon the horticultural motif into the Vionnet archive, and though the singular Tulip print feels slightly ad hoc at times, they feed into the fruity elongated stripes that outline the body, in a predominant chartreuse hue, exuding a rich botanical tang.
A majority of dresses were fashioned in Valenki felt, a material originating in Russia, used for traditional boots, and whilst this may have been a peculiar option, Ashkenazi managed to curb it to a fit the fluid Vionnet aesthetic. An induction of pleasantly fuzzy rounded silhouettes became offset by draped slinks, lending a petal-like grace to the labels signature, through combinations of light suede and figure-cherishing jersey.
Efforts to experiment with pleats are also dispersed throughout, persisting until they eventually reappear as classic pinstripes in a variety of other pieces, from the ruched floor-length, rather languid, dresses, to billowy jumpsuits, picked up by wispy mink bombers. Insofar as notable textures, the creative director opted not to do things by halves, tossing in some bulky cable-stitch knits a handful of times, which, permitting they were carried through the collection, could have become a definite highlight.
The final eveningwear revelations did hit the mark, with a range of overcast topaz hues – colour blocked and sashed around the body, concluding an adequate collection, containing a few glimmers of hope, which if developed effectively, could be successful in the future.
By Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Style.com