No matter how much Alexis Mabille enjoys conceiving everyday clothes, he’s most in his element designing for dressier occasions. Presumably aware of this, he is repositioning his pre-collections as a wardrobe heavily weighted toward eveningwear. From a showroom the size of a deluxe walk-in closet, he said he worked on this offering as an immediate and accessible translation of what he proposes at the couture level. But there was another notable difference here: greater ease. For all the silhouette-defining bodices and structured skirts that looked like obvious cocktail attire, many of his “relaxed evening” looks boasted airy volumes and loosened lines.
He singled out a billowing T-shirt dress elevated by its fabric and lace finishing as well as a softened Le Smoking in vivid purple as the stars of this approach. An off-the-shoulder tented gown with sheer striping, a flounced LBD inspired by a beach wrap, and a comparatively restrained plissé soleil gown in midnight blue qualified as strong supporting players. His integration of men’s codes—piqué-effect silk, a blue shirt spiked with Lurex, tuxedo detailing—balanced out the heightened femininity elsewhere.
As is evident in the photos of a girl descending a red-carpeted staircase, Mabille puts concerted effort into making an entrance, and if his spectrum of princess pink numbers suggested the fairy-tale version, the more sophisticated touches—an embroidered bolero or trench-style tie dress—were just plain chic. The collection might not be to everyone’s taste, but as a statement against overexposure, it is tasteful, which should earn the designer points among high society women in a wide range of markets.
