A season ago, Ungaro hit pause. Having searched its soul and cast an eye toward an archive 2,000-plus couture dresses deep, the house quietly came back in January as an “easy pieces” knitwear brand.
The idea was to flip the script, turning knit, historically a bit player for the house, into the star and letting other fabrics play supporting roles. The studio mined the brand’s DNA for heritage cues and came up with a lineup of pieces like fit-and-flare and bodycon dresses and sequined separates with or without matching faux furs; these styles might find a sweet spot among women who are always traveling from one place to the next but are disinclined to consider sticking to basics. Making an entrance, even at the office, is more their style.
For summer, the florals for which Ungaro was known are back, in a mix of jacquard, fil coupé, cotton, and printed vegan leather. Lurex and sequins also play a major role on a light-as-air slate blue and gray dress with a crochet detail at the waist or a gold shell top. Some of the shapes were classic Ungaro—the long halter-neck choker dress, for example—while others owed a debt to rivals (the fit-and-flare knits come to mind), but you can see where the Ungaro base may just ferret out some seasonal workhorses here.
