The press notes said Matthew Williamson looked to Capri for inspiration. The island, of course, was the birthplace of the house of Pucci some 40-odd years ago, but it's not entirely certain that its founder, Emilio, would have recognized this collection as a descendant of his own.
Yes, there were the signature graphic and swirling prints done up in shades of orange, pink, blue, yellow, and white, as well as beach-friendly caftans and bathing suits. But other pieces (a clingy minidress in a jungle-cat print with net insets and sleeves, a cropped jacket in a purple and aqua palm-frond print) had an eighties-by-way-of-a-Miami-club vibe that just doesn't seem to jibe with the house's more blue-blooded soul. Still, there were a few hits, including one allover sequined dress in an update of a house print. It didn't necessarily scream "sixties Italian Riviera jet set," but it did look like now.
This show was Matthew Williamson's swan song: His three-year contract is soon to expire. Peter Dundas—who has worked for Roberto Cavalli, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Christian Lacroix (himself an alumnus of Pucci)—is up next. It'll be interesting to watch him try to whirl together a look that's respectful of the brand and yet new.
