Alberta Ferretti is a romantic with her feet firmly planted on the ground. Over the years, her devotees have transitioned from the wispy tulle and lace concoctions that made her famous to the more substantial and robust propositions for everyday she has been presenting of late. These days, she wants to dress real women who share her practical sense of grace. Her younger clientele has also expanded.
This pre-fall collection was a wearable, sensible, efficient affair; yet the designer’s gently inventive approach kept her daywear staples interesting. Color in particular energized outerwear and denim (worn with great-looking chunky mohair sweaters). Wrap coats are a Ferretti favorite because they’re body-type-friendly and versatile. She proposed various iterations of this cozy shape; the best, in pearl gray wool, had cape sleeves.
“I tried to give each piece a different identity,” said Ferretti, who worked gracefully on contrasts—casual/chic; masculine/feminine; bon ton/eccentricity. Yet it’s always the eveningwear that sees Ferretti at her best. She knows how to make a woman look beautiful in a natural, sensual way. A languid liquid number in bias-cut aqua silk satin was sophisticated, while a series of short black dresses embellished and feathered will appeal to the designer’s young followers. “My muses are the women I meet in real life,” said Ferretti. “Even if reality is tough, I am a dreamer. But I dream of real women, not abstractions.”
