There are certain design tropes one associates with Monique Lhuillier: tulle skirts, generous sequins, and a dramatic silhouette, as expected from a brand rooted in bridal. But the designer is making a conscious effort to shift her label away from big occasions and toward more quotidian things. “I will always do the statement gown—but not everybody needs a gown,” Lhuillier explained by phone from Los Angeles. “This is me expanding the world of Monique.”
Which leads us to Resort. “I really wanted it to feel more versatile,” she said. “Less about a complete look, but more pieces to build your wardrobe.” Her strategy rested on two points. First, the introduction of knits for ease and wearability, such as a thin white tee embellished with florals and one in black with a slim lace collar. Second, an expanded lineup of separates, something she began for Fall 2017 and continued here with cropped black pants and A-line skirts hand-painted with English roses. Lhuillier proposed a peplum top encrusted with sequined blooms paired with those slim trousers as a “modern way to do cocktail,” one that recalled a similar proposition from Raf Simons’s iconic Dior debut five years ago. Of course, there were marabou feathers, here whipped up into a romantic capelet and draped over a lace tank top and pants, as well as a heavily beaded evening confection—how the Monique woman might take it from day to night.
