In a (fashion) world where the only certainty seems to be that nothing is certain, sometimes having a few solid reference points is what it takes to make the wheels turn—hopefully in the right direction. Ermanno Scervino firmly believes in Beauty—with a capital B—as his guiding star. “Beauty is eternal. What else can I say? When it’s there, it doesn’t fade,” said the designer before the show. “It just has to be modern, modern, modern!” And what could be more of-the-moment than Pyper America and Lucky Blue Smith, the famous siblings who are sending throngs of millennial Instagrammers into a frenzy? They were towering backstage, both resplendent in custom-made Scervino: She with pink hair nicely complementing a long, finely pleated ivory lace dress; he with his sleeked-back signature platinum coiffure matchy-matching a diamanté jacket from the men’s collection. Smith seemed powered by a fashion wattage so strong he could have lit the whole block.
If Scervino were a New York designer, his clothes could have been perfect for uptown, sophisticated ladies with a relentless social calendar—they would have certainly coveted more than a few looks from today’s show. Case in point: a pair of leopard-print coats in silk jacquard that seemed made for a Park Avenue doyenne. But here is where Scervino’s quintessentially Italian flair kicked in: He added to their sauvage and already dense patterns a voluminous multicolor fox and mink collar that screamed of voluptuous glamour. The same could be said of his very Italian sense of embellishment and decoration, which was in full display on tweed short coats embroidered with colorful paillettes appliqués.
History and art were referenced comme il faut in evening dresses made of fastidiously assembled bronze lace tassels; they were reminiscent of the dark golden tones of gleaming Byzantine mosaics or of a Klimtian palette. The luxe factor was obviously paramount—it came through both in the choice of fabrics and in the exquisite execution. Sensuality also peeked in, with see-through long dresses in coated lace, molded into sculptural yet light shapes. A touch of Victorian, they conveyed a sense of elegant seduction. “Yes, Seduction!” enthused Scervino. "Femininity is everything!" His following of glamorous celebrities (Kim Kardashian West, anyone?) should rest assured: There is not the faintest trace of the androgyny trend in this collection—nor will there be in future ones.
