Tony Duquette would have fared pretty well amid our current zeitgeist. The mid-century decorator and designer was famed for his lush, theatrical interiors; a little of this and a little of that through his singular eye became nothing short of magic (for an excellent primer, pick up More Is More). Duquette’s was a similar stripe of gleeful maximalism to that which is proffered these days by Gucci’s Alessandro Michele. But for Spring, Duquette’s world became a lens through which Ace & Jig designers Jenna Wilson and Cary Vaughan posed their signature, perennial questions of pattern and textile.
The well-loved indie label continues to stay its niche-y-but-nice course of pillowy woven-cotton gauzes in easy-to-wear, comfy cuts; still, this season wasn’t without its surprises. Duquette came through right off the rack in a palette spiked liberally with an almost fluorescent tangerine, and complemented with hues of robin’s-egg blue and cream. Silhouettes skewed toward Ace & Jig favorites: cropped trousers, boxy little blouses, smocked dresses; the lightly body-skimming, long-sleeved maxis remain a highlight. Kimonos have emerged as such a strong category that for Spring they were done in about 10 colorways.
Back to those famous fabrications, though: A top in a tufted confetti weave was sweetly charming, while a prepster madras shot through with threads of Lurex should have wide-ranging appeal for retailers from Barneys New York to Steven Alan. One of the most exciting developments here was an almost-brocade-like double gauze that conjured up both opulent interiors and visions of Duquette’s famously cool coterie, and felt like a notably polished new addition for the label. Another surprise: a couple of pieces emblazoned with the brand’s name—not just in run-of-the-mill printing, but crocheted by fiber artist London Kaye.
