Monday
2:42 p.m.
It’s rare at Fashion Week to see a garment that fills you with longing and can actually be worn in the real world. That just happened at Milly with a low-slung silver crackle leather skirt that somehow simultaneously looks like aluminum foil and projects a sort of urbane, easy, polished cool. I want it.
Haute couture veteran Michelle Smith often peddles a ladylike quirk, but here the tendency to tip over to “precious” territory remains in check. Inspired by ballerinas, the collection offers just the sort of poise a dancer exhibits as she floats through the world. Take the opening outfit: a pair of cinched camel-colored paper bag trousers with an ivory knitted fur sweater worn with a silver pendant necklace and artfully knotted scarf.
Not every look achieves that sort of effortless perfection: a blush tulle maxi skirt and fringed jumpsuit scream “Dancer!” a bit too loudly. But subtly luxurious fur sweaters (in cream and pale pink), fluid skirts and the oversized yeti-like jacket — a pleasing alternative to the giant plush coat that’s dominated the runways this week — are winners.
The major trends
Oversized coats, fur, circle skirts, relaxed shape
The soundtrack
A remix of “Ice, Ice Baby”? Weird.
What this means for your wardrobe
It’s all about ease, but you may want to practice walking with a book on your head to help achieve that ballerina grace.
