Fall marks a year for Lorenzo Serafini at Philosophy, and there’s a buzz around the brand. The crowd at tonight’s show was a whole lot more high-profile than the one at his debut. Serafini has quickly drawn attention for his flair with a feminine dress and his special knits. Magazines don’t mind featuring his clothes because they’re romantic and evocative, but more importantly women are buying and wearing them. His years of behind-the-scenes experience at Dolce & Gabbana help in both regards.
Serafini described his Fall collection as a mash-up of Princess Diana and Siouxsie Sioux. The clothes weren’t as vivid as our 30-year-old memories of either of those ladies, but for the trend-conscious woman eager to sample from Milan’s ’80s boom, Serafini is a designer worth checking out. There were updated versions of the era’s pleated, baggy-through-the-thighs trousers; its frothy, high-necked blouses; and its dropped-waist dresses, none too retro for their own good. As usual, Serafini’s knits were a high point. A black and white striped pullover trimmed with black velvet and pearl buttons was only bettered by a red and black one-sleeve style with a deep ruffle circling the neckline.
Outerwear is a fairly untapped market for Philosophy. The quilted bomber here was a bit of an outlier, and the leather peacoats with frills on the shoulder seams erred a little on the stiff side, but the belted curly-hair shearlings looked cozy enough. A YSL-channeling white-marabou-feather cape with a black grosgrain bow was pretty divine.
The dress is the thing here, though. Pastel lace, black point d’esprit, and scarf-print silk twills all made appearances, streaming out on ankle boots or thigh-grazing styles with lace peeking out from the top. We’re betting that the red velvet number with the pearl waistband wins the popular vote, both with the magazines and on the streets.
