Has the 6397 woman gone girly? Not quite, but Stella Ishii and her studio team have certainly embraced a handful more feminine shapes over the past few seasons, filtering dresses and skirts through the brand's familiar tomboyish aesthetic. Take Pre-Fall's "trouser skirt," an unfussy, straight-drawstring silhouette in lightweight checked wool, or an oversize silk midi dress. Ishii has turned out the latter before, but this season she tweaked it to have raglan seams. That checked wool got a workout in smashing new skinny-straight trousers and a slim-lapel jacket "to be worn like a cardigan," per the designer. Ever detail-oriented, she pointed out that the 6397 price point simply doesn't permit American-made, impeccably tailored pieces. When slouch looks this good, no one's likely to complain. The label also expanded its light-as-a-feather merino offerings to include a long-sleeve polo (à la classic men's styles, but with a closer-cut sleeve) and a cocoon shrug, both particularly nice in a cranberry color. Yet the real story here was told in the brand's new shapes, like a swingy poncho in sweatshirt material and a reversible wool topper inspired by the lining of a coat, which closed with a single safety pin. 6397's devotion to wardrobe pillars (the slipdress, boyfriend jeans) isn't going anywhere, but its more daring bets paid off in a big way.
