For pre-fall, Elie Saab embarked on an imaginary, gilded journey on the Orient
Express, with Maxim’s in Paris standing in for the uber-luxury locomotive. Opulence
riffed from the Belle Epoque and Art Deco eras—saturated shades reminiscent of
precious metals, gems, ornate woodwork and Cordoba leather—blended with clean,
1970s-leaning silhouettes. Now, as then, the art of dress spoke to a deeply
glamorous lifestyle tinged with mystery and decadence.
The difference lied in ease. A woman can’t live by eveningwear alone, so Saab
continued to lean into day dressing, for example neatly channeling seasonal cues of
tweediness on a jacket in openwork wool shot through with silver on a tulle base, a
move that will let that piece do nicely by night, too. A peekaboo ensemble in printed
macramé was, in fact, three easy pieces—a snap-front sweat, a tank, and a miniskirt
with a comfortable cotton jersey base. Another number in jersey had a lace-up detail
that gave Saharienne vibes. Tonal dresses in burgundy, orange, green and yellow
placed the accent on texture through graceful draping, ruffled appliqués and lots of
plissé.
Saab shines by night. Another tactile play came in coated jersey with a
leather-like sheen, worked into a black halter top or a green bustier dress, perhaps to
layer with a fluffy ivory jacket in faux fur trimmed with marabou. A handful of
statement pieces featured silver sequins that formed a zig-zag motif;
double-sided green/blue paillettes were smoothed to create a variety of dégradé
effects, and rich embellishments in bronze, blush, teal, violet and midnight blue
evoked the cinematic glamor of an imaginary fin-de-siècle opium den.
This season also saw a fresh development in accessories thanks to a partnership
with the London-based handbag designer Marina Raphael. The first outing, a
structured bag in napa leather pictured here called The Wave, after its handle, is
set to become a new house signature. Getting the bag bit right is key for any brand; it
will be interesting to see where they go with it.
