Cacharel’s revamped logo, a sleek serif C ornamented with flowers, isn’t visible in these photos. It is fresh, streamlined, and pretty–a succinct reflection of how the French brand, founded in the 1960s, is now positioning itself as it eyes a new phase of global expansion. The Fall collection marks the second expression of this direction, which, although attributed to the collective “studio,” makes clear there’s someone different overseeing the design. Take the prints, part of Cacharel’s DNA for those too young to remember its heyday; these arctic-inspired varieties have been given a digital upgrade, rendered abstract and watery like artistic photographs, spread across solid backgrounds as cutouts, or filtered as though illuminated by the Aurora Borealis. They played out expectedly on weekday blouses and dresses, but their newness was most convincing as outerwear: inside a hood attached to a sporty wool-cashmere blouson, or as the all-over pattern of both a snap-front teddy and a quilted cropped jacket. For those whose taste falls somewhere between Erdem and Givenchy (without the budget to match), these were more satisfying than high street fashion.
This was reinforced elsewhere: the quality of the double-faced coats, the nicely finished cocoon knits, and flattering silhouette of the jupes-culottes. In short, there was fine attention to detail throughout. And when the communications director pointed out the competitive pricing, the value proposition held up, too. Okay, so this wasn’t directional stuff, but that has never been Cacharel’s raison d’être. Frame it as a starter wardrobe for students or filler pieces for women a little older, and those deliberately blurred prints serve a crystal-clear purpose.
