Amidst a heatwave that puts the brain on a constant quest to cool down, a fluffy marabou coat stationed near the entry of the Nina Ricci showroom resembled an orange creamsicle in the best possible way. Tonal looks in glacial blue and mint green were as welcome as a glass of cold water. An illustration by artist Tanya Ling of a wistful girl in one of the season’s looks seemed as if she, too, was melting. But gradually, as Guillaume Henry began explaining how this collection’s source material drew largely from commedia dell’arte—a Nina Ricci rewrite of Pierrot, Columbine, and Harlequin—the body’s thermostat returned to normal. He noted how the costumes of these silent stock characters were often exaggerated and expressive in the absence of dialogue, yet also light enough to facilitate maximum movement.
With this specific reference comes heightened-risk clothes that wind up more clownish than chic. But mostly, Henry mostly rose to the challenge by proposing romantic volumes that were distinctly his. He brought white poplin to the fore with dramatic blouses that required little more in the way of styling than well-proportioned black pants or a dance skirt. Otherwise, a powdery beige was often used as the foil for black, so that the effect read more faithful to Henry’s command of the maison’s codes. “It’s in my blood to be bourgeois; it’s just a matter of being fun about it,” he mused. Cue the pompoms on chic pointy flats, brassy orb heels, and Tambour, a bag shaped like a miniature drum.
The dramatic shapes in the photos are deceiving; he achieved those elephant-ear shoulders and rounded hips with supple dimension, not rigidity. Not easy to do; much easier to wear. Meanwhile, various trenches, a cape, and a redingote offered no shortage of soigné outerwear independent of the theme, which was necessary in the event that regular clients aren’t sold on his bold Harlequin pattern. Henry, incidentally, made a point to mention that he would like Nina Ricci to seem within reach of more women, and pieces in this collection priced 20 percent lower than the usual entry level are intended to reflect this. A sweatshirt dress with a removable ruff seemed forced compared to the flattering flared jeans; but thinking less exclusively is definitely refreshing.
