According to the show notes, Serge Gainsbourg’s song “Cargo Culte” and the free-spirited muse behind it were the starting point for Gilles Mendel’s spring.
Rather than translating the theme via the grungier side of the revered French musician, Mendel distilled the attitude with a distinct uptown polish, most evident in his interesting use of different laces. A chic short shift dress, for example, effectively combined a sweet lace, a shimmery jacquard and a cloque organza, all pieced together graphically in a mix of hues that provided a fresh take on colorblocking.
A slightly raunchier side came through in the python skins and bold jungle-leaf jacquards, used for several short, form-fitting silhouettes.
If these seemed a little heavy, Mendel balanced the lineup with some lovely eveningwear, including an elegant, draped white gown with a lace T-shirt top — a look likely destined for the red carpet.
