Martine Sitbon's stock in trade is her oh-so-Parisian ability to confidently mix disparate elements, producing all those "How do they do it?" outfits that make women from other cultures pine. At her best, she blends flea market chic, historic references, an urban toughness and a wispy femininity to produce pieces that are distinctive, yet don't overwhelm the wearer.
Sitbon's fall collection, done mostly in black with occasional forays into gray, ivory and lavender tones, contained a lot of those signature looks. There were strong-shouldered jackets nipped at the waist, slim trousers, a silk bomber jacket and some pretty, fluid asymmetrical skirts and dresses. True, there was no shortage of oddball pieces—like chopped-off jodhpurs with flaring cuffs or an ivory skirt with a hiked-up hem—that seemed tricky and gratuitous. But weary closets could be easily refreshed by a puckered, sheer sweater, or one of the dip-dyed, screen-printed, artsy-girl dresses.
