Having parted ways with Cacharel last year, Cédric Charlier made a splash this February with his eponymous runway debut. It earned the young French designer a spot as one of the finalists for this year's ANDAM prize. His moody Fall lineup, full of inky shades and patent leathers, quickly dissociated Charlier from Cacharel's flowery reputation. Resort finds him returning to color and prints on his own terms. Inspired by the linear purity of Cristobal Balenciaga's Spring 1966 collection, Charlier showed a sharp range of pantsuits and architectural shift dresses with laser-cut edges in bold shades of violet, chartreuse, sapphire, and crimson (accented with a heavy dose of black). He articulated the graphic theme with a warped stripe pattern based on vibrating mirrors. Charlier also expanded into eveningwear with fluttering plissé strapless gowns that were particularly breathtaking against the New York skyline, which was the backdrop for the lookbook. This strong sophomore outing suggests Charlier is a serious contender—for the ANDAM prize and beyond.
