For Pre-Fall, Alice Temperley managed a rare fashion triple play: She delivered a collection strong on her two opposing signatures—boho and suiting—and made it all commercially viable to boot. On the bohemian side, there was intricate floral threadwork on a peasant dress and a shawl and some floral-meets-leopard looks that clashed to perfect harmony. As for her suitings, they were louche, though not lazy: Top-quality fabrics were sourced from Italian mills, but the trainers gave everything a relaxed feel. With her love for tailoring and androgyny, we had to ask, Would she ever consider doing menswear? "It's a dream," she said, "but I have to file it in the fantasy slot right now."
Temperley has always been a deft hand at coats (being from Somerset, she understands weather), so there were some standouts in the outerwear department, including a sharp black Sherlock coat and a tiger-print trench. On the eveningwear side of things, a floral organza dress and skirt (the latter teamed with a crisp white shirt) looked like solid choices for red-carpet dwellers, and a black halter-neck jumpsuit could rival any evening gown thanks to its sexy, mid-thigh slit.
