Escada fashion director Daniel Wingate has a thing for power women; for several seasons now, he’s been pushing a narrative that centers around a jam-packed schedule and gangbusters career, envisioning staples that can take his woman from the boardroom to the ballroom. So it’s no surprise that for Pre-Fall 2016, he turned to a real-life power woman for inspiration: Aleksandra Ekster, a Russian avant-garde painter and designer who made a name for herself in the mostly male-dominated art world in the early 20th century and was a major influencer of the Art Deco movement.
Ekster’s work informed the collection's geometric shapes and slightly off-kilter palette (marsala red often contrasted with navy and bright blue). Her influence could most strongly be felt in a color-block shift dress with an asymmetrical hem, and an asymmetrical faux-wrap skirt. These were also some of the strongest pieces in the lineup. Wingate was smart to include a cropped flare in several colors and patterns; the silhouette feels right for the season and will find fans among customers young and old. He focused on styles that wrapped—or gave the appearance of wrapping—lending a sultry vibe to evening and workaday pieces, with the added benefit of versatility. He was also in a festive mood (perhaps the impending holidays did it), since many of the offerings were drowning in sequins. While some of these looks were fun, others, like a bustier jumpsuit, felt far too young for the Escada customer. Overall, they detracted from the busy career-woman narrative. A power woman uses her wit—not sequins—to make an impression.
