Jenny Packham is an eveningwear specialist who has built her business on satin gowns dripping in beads and handmade embellishments. For Pre-Fall, she stuck to her familiar codes; despite the season's "buy now, wear now" reputation, Packham isn't going to start making jeans and sweaters anytime soon. Her version of pared-back, year-round elegance came in the form of ombré ball skirts and silk pajama pants, both of which could be styled with one of the collection's crystallized knits (or your own white T-shirt). The abstract, leopard-ish beading on a few champagne dresses was noteworthy—it was a modern move away from her signature geometric designs. A girl can only buy so many art deco gowns. Packham filled in the rest of the collection with a slew of red-carpet numbers in mermaid-teal, crimson, and deep violet. Those were nice, if somewhat predictable. In the end, Packham was most successful when she kept things simple, like the black V-neck dress with soft ruffles down the bodice. The less-is-more approach and easy silhouette will appeal to lots of women; its jeweled velvet bow added just the right amount of pretty.
