The dreamy settings and pretty costumes in the 2007 film Atonement (starring a baby Saoirse Ronan) served as the inspiration for Stacey Bendet’s Pre-Fall collection. And it all certainly felt romantic, from the painterly floral prints to the tiered lace dresses in a palette of blush pink, raspberry, burgundy, and soft, deep blue. Some of the best pieces included the ’30s- and ’40s-inspired wrap dresses with subtle ruffles and low V-necklines. Among the rich velvet and burnout silk fabrics, there was only one shiny silver sequined look, which was rather surprising coming off a Spring ’18 lineup that had tons of pop and sparkle.
Alice + Olivia is a brand that caters to the girl who wants a bit of that glamour in her wardrobe, and typically each season there are plenty of bright colors, slogan tees, and embellishments to appease her. What was nice about Bendet’s Pre-Fall was how much softer it felt, with femininity overpowering the familiar A+O glitz. It was wearable, and will still stand out minus the rainbow hues, wild prints, and glitter.
