IT is not easy to slip into the shoes of Diane Von Fustenberg (and Council of Fashion Designers of America president, incidentally), but Scottish-born designer Jonathan Saunders – who closed his London-based brand last September – has definitely crossed the Atlantic. Working his magic on his first DVF show for Spring/Summer 17, the new creative director decided to stage a presentation rather than catwalk show per se.
Of his take on the brand Saunders said, ‘’I wanted to capture the brand’s effortlessness, colour, and print in an imaginative way.’’ And his input is as such – a carnival of juxtaposing colours, styles and print, a highly fluid and feminine collection made up of silky asymmetric dresses and kimono-like wide printed trousers.
As for the dress legacy – Saunders bowed down to the house heritage whilst keeping his tastes in check –working with crepe designs and silk satins that he screen-printed and put on the bias – giving the DVF own craftsmanship a bit of a revival although, little by little, implementing his own signature.
Overall, Saunders cleverly implemented the way he sees women with the way Diane feels about a women’s wardrobe, and it works brilliantly.
by Salomé Baudino
Images Courtesy of Diane Von Fustenberg