Bernhard Willhelm’s Spring concept found its roots on a trip to Crete and its flowering on another trip to Malibu. “Write all about the colors—the aura. Or is it the spectrum?” said the designer. What he was getting at was the comparatively direct lineup, with “very little print” and a focus on dyeing and de-coloring to create a sun-bleached, lived-in patina. Basically, Bernhard went to the beach. It suited him; Spring is one of his strongest collections in recent memory.
Circling back to the palette for a moment: One can’t help but grin when reading that Willhelm dubbed a faded neon pink “Barbra Streisand peach.” Babs’s fuchsia was applied to a cut-out, snood-like knit dress; we could see it working, actually, as a kind of off-kilter but easy cover-up. Japanese cotton kimonos boasted wave motifs and dip-dyed sleeves, while in other parts, that same cotton was adhered to knitwear, creating, say, funkily finished cuffs or necklines. A hooded poncho had the back all but removed; hoodies of micro-terry featured intarsia block motifs. Both made for oddly convincing post-swimwear—especially in Malibu, where the Pacific is chilly.
The most newsworthy element of Willhelm’s collection, though, was the introduction of slimmer-fitting, streamlined dresses in both cotton (gray) and knit (on-trend yellow). His business partner, Jutta Kraus, said they were “something new for us.” Something new, indeed, and perfect for the girl who admires Willhelm’s daring but isn’t quite as eccentric in her own tastes.
