Elie Saab looked to the American frontier for his Pre-Fall starting point. It’s a popular spot. Maria Grazia Chiuri explored similar territory for Dior’s Resort collection last May. That’s the challenge of destination collections, which is how Saab has been approaching his ready-to-wear recently: It’s difficult to stumble upon a place that feels genuinely new. That said, this trip proved fruitful at times. A knitted black poncho with deep fringe was striking, as was the floor-length black lace cape worn over sequined pants and a Western button-down. You wouldn’t have seen either of those pieces in a Saab collection of several years ago; the expansion of his ready-to-wear business has pushed him out of his red carpet, gown-focused comfort zone, and that’s not a bad thing.
Amidst the profusion of fringe, studs, and satin-that-looked-like-leather Western appliqués was a new crest of interlocking Es and Ss. Brand exercises of this sort are part and parcel of a company in growth mode, and everybody’s gotta have a logo these days (see the Pre-Fall lineups of Givenchy, Missoni, and Altuzarra, for starters). As far as they go, this one was subtle, even in gold leaf on a black sweatshirt. The motif also appeared on the back pocket of jeans, on clutches, and on the bodice buttons of the most charming dress in the lineup. Ankle length, with long sleeves, and a delicate print, it hit the sweet spot between his signature event dresses and his new Western fare—and it looked right.
