A cloud of baby’s breath hung from the ceiling in Lela Rose’s studio last night. She said she was going to move the arrangement to the center of the room and keep it there for a while. The designer had just finished shooting her Pre-Fall collection, and the space was slowly transforming back to business as usual. Rose is famous for her cocktail party presentations, but even when she’s up to something more low-key, she knows how to create an inviting atmosphere. She makes clothes for women who like to do the same: work hard, throw playful soirees, and look playfully buttoned-up while doing so.
This season, Rose upped the ante on her recognizable sensibility, adding color-blocking and grosgrain ribbon detailing to sweet dress and skirt silhouettes. She also incorporated a new floral scarf print on a pretty pair of trousers and a matching blouse. While the checked short-sleeved suiting and trench dress didn’t quite speak the same language as the rest, they were nice daytime additions to the collection as a whole. It was a tightly edited lineup but one that certainly had a look to fit any occasion, whether her customer is in a busy studio or at a fabulous party.
