When even Ann Demeulemeester, poetess of twilight and shadows, is showing flowers, you know you've got an irresistible trend. Her Spring collection was crawling with wisteria vines, flocked in velvet on her customary cutaway tailcoats, jackets, and shirts. "I had to find a way to do flowers my way," she said. They were black. But the whole collection had an unusual lightness, in effect and in color. "It's very romantic, very happy," Demeulemeester said. "We asked ourselves the meaning of a Sunday afternoon. Something light and easy, with a bit of humor." The gauzy layers and crumpled tailoring endured, but the blossoming of the collection couldn't help but sweeten the mood. With Devendra Banhart burbling on the soundtrack, colored lights haloing the stage, and a little straw cloche or two bobbing on top, the tone was serene, even silly now and then. The stripes Demeulemeester always returns to often conjure thoughts of jailbirds. Here they said circus!
Demeulemeester's most ascetic fans may be disappointed to find that she has a sense of levity, but the collection did offer a new lens on a line whose contours are well known. It also provided new insight into the designer. "This is private Ann, on Sundays," said Demeulemeester. "People don't know, but I love my garden."
