"Classic, early fall" was Thakoon Panichgul's word on pre-fall, May delivery date be damned. Some of his fellow designers have been tending toward spring when designing their ranges this season, but an autumnal mood suited the new collection. In a warm, pastel-inflected palette heavy on grays, khakis, and creams, and with cool-weather fabrics like blanket-printed wools and fuzzy Mongolian lamb, the clothes looked ahead to a chill in the air. In fact, with its gamine twist on boyish staples, it almost seemed to go back to class: The cutaway blazers, cable-knit sweaters, and slip-on leather loafers looked like standard-issue uniforms from the Thakoon School for Girls.
But this designer never strays far from dresses, his particular signature. Many are drawing eyes to the waist this season, but Panichgul, to his credit, has been nipping in at the middle for seasons. He amped up the volume with full-skirted frocks, bedecked at the back with darts so deep they became design elements unto themselves.
