The second time out is always harder than the debut; there’s more attention, higher expectations, greater pressure to impress. In a short and sweet fall collection, Jeffrey Chow (one of this year’s Ecco Domani winners) managed to avoid most of the sophomore pitfalls, while further establishing his distinctive take on luxe sportswear.
Chow showed lots of classic tailoring in traditional fabrics: loose-fitting tweed jackets, gathered at the back into a high-waisted ruffle; flannel trousers cut both wide and skinny, with a slightly raised waist; slim herringbone pencil skirts. His tunic-length hand-knit cabled sweaters, worn over slim bronze pants or some of his soft dresses, mixed well with the boho-preppy feeling that’s running through many of the young-designer shows this week. And his structured satin dresses, paired with fur jackets and capes, had the charm of a debutante’s ball. Chow spent a bit too much time fussing with some of his jackets—inserting various fabrics in the sleeves or adding extraneous embroidery—but overall he showed long-term potential. This is a young designer to watch.
