Joseph gave itself a bit of a reboot this season. In its previous few collections, the brand had drifted into relatively editorial territory, and though some of its propositions were very interesting, the collections as a whole proved a bit digressive. Here, Joseph put itself back on track, reinvesting in its mission to create well-executed staple pieces that the Joseph shopper can mix easily into her luxury wardrobe. Designer Louise Trotter is very good at making her staples look relevant; this season, she updated the signature Joseph coats, knits, and trousers by giving them that oh-so-prevalent sculpturally slouchy shape. The graphic sweaters looked very sharp, as did some of the more outré pieces, like a chevron-patterned sheepskin coat in black and white, and the T-shirt and track pants in a tiger-stripe suede dévoré. But it was the garments with a more taut tailoring that looked the freshest. Women will have a lot of places to go for voluminous coats and trousers next season, but if they're in the market for a trim overcoat in laminated gold wool, or a pair of slender pin-striped pants, then they will be very pleased to find those looks at Joseph. And the standout piece here was as staple as it gets: a nearly weightless baby lambskin jacket in cream, with black leather trim. It's hard to imagine that jacket ever going out of style. Which, this collection reminded you, was always Joseph's point.
