“Of Lights, Shadows, Butterflies and Flowers.” The show’s title promised an ethereal side to Blumarine’s spring collection, one that might recapture the house’s romantic codes that have gone a little astray in recent years.
While designer Anna Molinari had all the right details — different laces, macramé appliqués, sequins and crystals — to pull such sentiment off, she delivered them with a heavy hand that she just can’t seem to shake.
She started with several soft white numbers accented with lace. A cropped jacket with broderie anglaise sleeves and matching shorts worked the charming side of biker chic; an A-line dress exuded the same Sixties London vibe that marked Molinari’s second line, Blugirl.
But that focused look didn’t last, and the collection soon moved into several directions, from Fifties pinup to rock chick, the latter’s attitude evoked in a red tuxedo jacket with black leather pants, and a mesh tank top decked out with crystals and teamed with black silk pants. It was difficult to see how these worked into Molinari’s softer theme.
