Fall is Clare Waight Keller's second season at Chloé. For direction she looked to her own experience as a Brit in Paris. Backstage she explained that she tried to mix the casual vibe of English sportswear with the dressier sensibility of the French. That's the concept that informed the red knit sweatpants she paired with a pop-over lace blouse, or a floral embroidered sweatshirt worn with a quilted satin pencil skirt.
Sporty outerwear in the form of a peach duffel coat, or a bomber in the same powdery shade, was the collection's main strength. Knitwear, with which she has lots of experience from her years leading Pringle of Scotland, came in second. A hand-knit turtleneck in heathery pastels will have admirers. The big problem here was what that sweater was matched with: droopy leather bloomers with elasticized hems that hit slightly south of the knees. These abbreviated pants made multiple appearances, and they weren't doing the models any favors.
Waight Keller has a good handle on the breezy, uncomplicated frock that is Chloé's claim to fame. She proved that last season, and she confirmed it here with a deep red drop-waist T-shirt dress and an ivory shirtdress with a lace skirt. These would be a good place to start when she sets to work on next season.
