In January, Barbara Bui hinted that the red, fuchsia, and purple permeating her pre-collection would soon give way to a “cool evening” lineup of black and white.
Sure enough, the racks in her showroom during this latest visit were devoid of color, which is not to say they lacked visual impact. Many of the looks boasted a graphic treatment of her name never seen like this before—at least, not at Barbara Bui. Let’s consider the brand that also begins with a B-A and ends with an A, or else the one whose name riffs on the opposite of off-black. Truth be told, the most abstracted applications—see the asymmetric shirtdress—weren’t bad. As an ironic and unfortunate twist that evaded her team, the cropping of the lettering on the inside of two oversize down coats could be read as B-A-R-F. This should be rectified by the time the pieces hit stores; for now, let’s enjoy a little chuckle.
The collection contained another strong message: hybrid Le Smoking designs, which felt on brand for Bui (and also Saint Laurent). Shown as both a top and a minidress, the tuxedo fronts spliced with a bustier were without a doubt sexy, and dress pants trimmed with sport stripes looked smart. Lustrous outerwear, including an ample shearling in crackled silver and a workwear jacket in gunmetal hair calf, made good on the eveningwear promise while making an assertive statement for day. But leather boyfriend jeans were the lineup’s unsung hero; they were Bui’s signature leggings updated authentically.
