There's a mini-movement, down in Sydney, of designers making flirty clothes that are just a bit better and a whole lot smarter than they need to be. Brother and sister duo Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman, of Camilla and Marc, are in its front rank. Their collections go down like candy, but they're surprisingly fortifying. Their latest outing is a case in point. For every appealing yet unremarkable cocktail dress, there's a standout piece like this season's voluminous trousers. There are a few varieties of voluminous trouser here, in fact, all of them very good—from a tailored style with a wide-leg silhouette to a pair of slouchy pleated trousers that could dress up or down. Together with a top in the same print, a knife-pleated pair in mosaic-motif chiffon makes for a nice reinterpretation of the current pajama trend.
Other highlights include the tailored pieces in a bold, black-backed tropical floral, a deconstructed tuxedo jacket, and the body-hugging color-blocked minidresses intarsia-knit to look as though they've been cut open at the waist. Among the cocktail frocks, a Camilla and Marc stock-in-trade, the bustier-topped dresses with floating, chiffon skirts are winners, as are all the dresses in the aforementioned mosaic print. Camilla and Marc also does well with its outerwear. Given the season, the selection of outwear here is slight, but a squared-off jacket with an angled zip and leather insets will find lots of fans. Overall, this is a collection full of pieces women will love to wear.
