What would the strong, refined female subjects of Lillian Bassman's portraits from the fifties and sixties wear today? That was the starting point for Monique Lhuillier's latest collection, and her propositions were mostly believable. For day, the designer offered nubby tweed suits, a sleek space-dyed knit T-shirt dress, and linen shifts with fabric-covered beaded trims. For evening, she showed pleated organza gowns in every color of the ROYGBIV spectrum, but the real showstopper was a Lurex jacquard peacock-printed number. Bassman might have got a kick out of that one.
