'Opulence' by Antonio Berardi Spring/Summer 2015

Antonio Berardi has a finely tuned ear, listening to the needs of those well-heeled ladies the world over for whom eveningwear is not an occasional extravagance but a near obligation. With enviable social calendars charged with galas, cocktail parties, and perhaps an art show or two, these dames need diverse and daring options, and this season Berardi offered them in spades.

The designer used the words “opulence” and “turbulence” to underscore the glaring cacophony of deep color and glittering beads that jolted us wide awake at his spring 2015 show. The former is a given expecting Berardi to bring on the bling; however, “turbulence” was an anomalous shake-up in his romantic vein of power dressing. So was the way he drew links to Einstein and the great thinker’s ideas on truth and beauty through a child’s eyes.

Those unlikely notions came together to describe the exaggerated, naïve proportions that Berardi applied to Asian-inspired sliced shifts and sheer organza pantsuits, fluttering cape-like blouses and the sack-back drama of gowns in floor-length metallic jacquard. They explained, too, the curling shoulder experiments of cocooning opera coats embellished with crystal. Their curved structure and painterly, brushstroke jacquards furthered the designer’s nod to Eastern dress that felt bold yet ladylike when pitched against the severity of ultraslim brocade tailoring. With references to menswear and utility clothing de rigeur across international runways today, we can track the rise of the bomber jacket from army surplus up into the annals of Paris couture. Berardi, too, tipped his hat to the pragmatic staple, with his exaggerated versions with ballooning, iridescent sleeves or a fanning peplum and nipped waist. Those pieces were a progressive step for the designer; however, it will be his floor-grazing chiffon gowns framed in scatters of flowery crystals that will keep him at the top of London’s go-to glamour list.

Discover the Antonio Berardi Spring/Summer 2015 runway show at the end of this post! LoL, Andrea

Antonio Beradi

Selections by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories 

Photo Credit/Source: The House of Antonio Berardi

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Translucent Lightness by Antonio Berardi Spring/Summer '14

A body-conscious silhouette has been the roadmap for Antonio Berardi since he started his label, but in the last couple of seasons he’s been exploring different ways around the idea of sexy. 

“I wanted to loosen up the Berardi woman and make her look and feel more urban,” said the designer backstage after the show. “The idea was to create a wardrobe that she can wear before 6:00 p.m. as well as after dark.” 

The setting an empty office space in the London financial district with views of the entire city set the tone, and traders starting their day in the adjacent skyscraper were craning their necks to see the models come down the runway.

After last season’s monastic tone, a more athletic note came through for spring, and structured tees cut in shimmering leopard jacquard were paired with pleated minis a convincing and polished look for day. One long-sleeved top had the rounded shoulder of a football jersey, although clearly Berardi didn’t lose sight of a woman’s curves, and the oversize organza-and-lace pieces gave the collection a translucent lightness a leitmotif of the season overall. As a designer who works so closely to the body, Berardi understands the importance of a fabric looking and feeling good against the skin, and he has been known to line his dresses with velvet. The chiffon pants and sweeping skirts that were short in the front and long in the back had built-in silk underpinnings, adding a practical and alluring touch to the idea of sheer dressing.

Discover the Antonio Berardi S/S '14 runway show at the end of this post! LoL, Andrea

 

Selections by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories 

Photo Credit/Source: VOGUE

Photos by Marcus Tondo (Indigitalimages) & Taylor Jewell

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'WATER WALL | FENDI Spring/Summer 2014 Ad-Campaign'

The sheer preciousness of the Fendi Spring/Summer 2014 Collection is as refreshing as a Waterfall. Fendi has released its full spring/summer 2014 campaign photographed by Karl Lagerfeld. Top models Nadja Bender and Joan Smalls pose for the German creative, playing mirrored images while working it in front of an icy water wall backdrop. Nadja and Joan model geometric prints, furry bags and sheath dresses in the colorful set.

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