Paolo Gerani's notes claimed Charlotte Rampling's "contemporary alternative lifestyle" as inspiration for Spring. What the 60-something actress had to do with the proceedings at Iceberg today is a bit of a puzzler. Gerani's thinking didn't become much clearer when the clothes hit the runway, although he did position himself in the midst of some current trends. First, the sport-chic mix: Stretchy bandeau tops were the glue that held the collection together. He layered them underneath everything from boxy, open-weave sweaters paired with silk cargos to a black and white cocktail dress with a mesh panel at the bodice. Paillettes were another essential motif. They covered the entirety of a waistcoat worn with a black silk shorts suit and, less successfully, decorated portions of slouchy utility jackets. Gerani checked oversize florals off the list, too. A daisy-appliquéd crewneck looked sweet with a pencil skirt in the same print. Sweaters are an important business for Iceberg. You couldn't be sure if the intarsia knit dress with a woman's face on the front was meant to be Rampling back in the day, but it will certainly have more hanger appeal than the bulky, braided multicolor ribbon pullovers and skirts.
The strongest pieces, not unlike last season, were those that were tailored. Oversize silk tuxedo shirts with beaded bibs that Gerani showed with shorts looked like an outfit you'd see in the front row. Hammered satin suits in mismatched colors also had a confident, bold appeal.
