British fashion darling Matthew Williamson, known for his color sense and use of prints, was recently tapped by LVMH to take over the design reins at Emilio Pucci. Perhaps to differentiate his namesake collection from the surely print-heavy one to come, Williamson's fall show was decidedly toned down. "I'm moving away from hippie in favor of a polished elegance," he said backstage.
Signs of this shift were visible in a wonderfully collared coat of varying lengths—and in too many variations, the most notable of which were made of a Lurex-shot mohair bouclé. Prints were limited to three—Aztec, floral, and ombré—and worked into simple dresses with layered hems. The layering of camel cashmere jumpers under pretty sequined pieces was a nice touch; ill-fitting maxi skirts were not. The parade of finale dresses, a series of decorative variations on one style, underscored the generally repetitive nature of the show.
