Luisa Beccaria held her couture presentation at the Ritz’s sumptuously gilded Salon César; it was a homecoming of sorts for the Milanese designer, who in that very same place hosted her last couture show back in 1995. Many years later, she has a chic tribe of five blue-eyed children, and her limited-edition collections have expanded into a successful business with an international clientele. “I often dress mothers and daughters,” Beccaria said. “Beautifully made, made-to-measure couture dresses increasingly appeal to younger customers.”
The debate around the relevance of couture is a moot point for the designer. In her vision, the desire for something unique and exquisitely handmade will never be out of fashion. “Couture has to be a dream but also wearable,” she said. “What is really modern in couture today are sophisticated execution techniques, unimaginable until a few years ago: The marriage between high-end technologies and the savoir faire of the atelier makes for a different approach to made-to-measure. It opens up new creative horizons.”
Although the designer’s creations have a distinctive ethereal flair, they’re also rather modern in their uncomplicated grace. Shapes are certainly romantic, but never over-elaborate. Even the grandest, most theatrical concoctions always exude a sense of lightness, transparency, and ease. The collection showcased Beccaria’s predilection for romance and delicate prettiness; long occasion dresses in Chantilly lace or flimsy silk tulle in her favorite shades of blue were embellished with sequined embroideries or 3-D blossoms. A lush flower garden was printed on a delightful midi organza number with a ruched doll-like skirt and a cute round collar, while a delicate floral motif graced a billowy gown in weightless red gazar. The same airy feel was infused in a summery plissé dress with cape sleeves enhancing the movement; printed in a geometric grid pattern, it would look a dream on one of Beccaria’s beautiful flower girls.
