For Spring, Alessandra Rich unveiled an unabashedly feminine collection dubbed Dolores, after an invented South American heroine, one whose wardrobe for her romantic escapades is punctuated by expanses of lace; frilled, fluted hems; and large, poufy sleeves worn off the shoulder. “The story is of a girl who runs away to get married,” said Rich at an appointment off the Rue Saint-Honoré, characteristically charming and wearing one of the gold heart—accented belts that accessorized the runway looks. “It’s probably a bad idea, but she does it anyway.”
And she does it in style: An excellent waist-whittling trenchcoat in silk moiré was offered in three colorways (black, white, and fuchsia) and proved just the ticket for a dramatic escape from disapproving parents and friends. The wedding festivities would be celebrated in bow-topped tiers of fluffy white lace. “She is definitely a girl in love,” purred Rich, and it shows; party dresses came in pleated, cutout, off-the-shoulder lamé or as a series of paillette-bedecked wiggle gowns with trumpet hems, while a number of silk rompers were deployed for their lingerie codas (one plunging cream tie-accented dress was very Bianca Jagger). But among all of the exuberance, it was the selection of seriously good denim (the use of the textile being a first for Rich) jackets, body-conscious dresses, and sleek jumpsuits that just might prove to outlast the honeymoon period. After all, as every girl knows, flash can be fun, but strong and steady often ends up winning the day.
