To describe Lela Rose’s clothing as “feminine” almost doesn’t cut it. Ladylike elegance is her thing, and she’s never shied away from a pearl embellishment, a shimmering lace appliqué, or a romantic floral, either. Which is why Pre-Fall fell like such a marked departure: Instead of beginning with a sweet pastel or botanical print, Rose started with a single swatch of Glen plaid wool.
Menswear has never been the big story at Lela Rose, though if you flip through her recent collections, it becomes clear that she’s been leaning in this direction for a while. Cocktail separates are a growing category for her, and Rose herself said she’s more inclined to wear trousers and a “table top”—her name for a super-special evening blouse that can be admired across the dinner table—than a tea-length dress. As for that plaid, she developed a checked version in shades of lavender, green, and sky blue, and applied it to classic poplin as well as to less-expected fabrics like taffeta and chiffon. The clever twist was that “evening” fabrics were used for daytime pieces, and vice versa: A bustier gown came in a mix of cotton and chiffon checks, for instance, while a spaghetti strap day dress was whipped up in ultralight taffeta. For the dress-averse, there were a few of those unmissable “table tops,” too, including a plaid tunic worn over matching trousers and a gorgeous peplum blouse with cream-on-cream soutache embroidery.