What's an Emilio Pucci collection without print? A very good Pucci collection, it turns out. When Peter Dundas inherited this historic Florentine house—famous since the 1960s for its kaleidoscopic prints—he made reworked archival patterns a major part of his storyline. Last season and this one, though, he's started inching away from them. These days, the label is just as well known for Dundas' confident, louche brand of glamour as it once was for its founder's graphic swirls and geometries.
For Spring, Dundas filtered his style signatures through the lens of Vietnam. The designer, who was not shy about using the occasional military reference as well as traditional Asian motifs, showed bomber jackets (some embroidered with the house logo), sheer veiling, tattoo embroideries, and one unmissable cargo jacket-cum-kimono with lavish stitch work inside and out. And in fact the collection wasn't completely devoid of archival prints, even if they weren't the focus. This time, he layered a woodblock motif over the vintage find to make it modern, and used it for a bomber and matching pajama pants, as well as for a long evening dress with lace inset above the bust and a sexy cutout below it.
Red-carpet dressing has also become an integral part of Dundas' Pucci. The red halter dress Joan Smalls wore would make a smashing choice for the Emmys tomorrow night.
