Land a couple of cocktail dresses and gowns on the right stars and suddenly you're an eveningwear designer, like it or not. Antonio Berardi, for his part, has been chafing against the definition lately. He's quite a powerful tailor, too, and he made a point of showcasing that power in his pre-fall collection. His blazers came with lapels or without, and have no visible closures—they're as streamlined as it gets. Pants, meanwhile, were full and cropped not far below the knees, the better to show off the boots in his new shoe collection. Berardi even constructed one dress with a built-in back hem below the waist to give the illusion of wearing a structured jacket. He also continued to explore the sportier theme of his Spring runway show. An origami miniskirt in neoprene, and the leotard-tight beaded top he paired it with, conjured images of futuristic figure skaters.
In the end, though, the man can't help it: He makes a killer body-con dress. This season's knockout came in black, with a heart-shaped, silver-studded inset on its chest. It'd be a surprise if a celeb didn't fall for it.
