Matthew Williamson's girl is a global traveler, but for Fall she's returning to her roots. "It's very English in spirit," said the designer. "I had a vision of a girl in the depths of the countryside, rustic and earthy." There were clever Fair Isle sweaters, skirts, and leggings monogrammed with "MW," and day dresses in a rose print that looked like the faded wallpaper you'd find in a cozy cottage. But it became increasingly clear that Williamson's definitions of terms were rather loose. His parkas and anoraks were cut from crinkly metallic nylon and came with fox-trimmed hoods, his shearlings were patent, and as for his boots, his muse won't be getting far in the muck wearing those high-heeled tapestry-covered spectators.
Indeed, you can take the boy out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the boy. Williamson's party frocks are what draw stars like Rihanna to his front row—no, unfortunately she didn't emulate Prince's surprise performance at Williamson's Spring show in London. But the designer's chosen theme served him not so well after dark. The neon tree print he used for a long dress and a capeleted mini came off as gimmicky. He'd be smart to keep this romance with the great outdoors brief.
