What would be the lifetime achievement for a designer whose career has been spent providing the international aristocratic set with pastel-hued dresses for the Ascot races, ethereal floral numbers for garden parties at country châteaus, and billowy evening dresses for debutante balls? Ça va sans dire. The dream would be to design the wedding dress for a royal bride. For Luisa Beccaria, this dream came true this May, when Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin once removed, married her Prince Charming at St. George’s Chapel, wearing a gown of blush-embroidered lace with the skirt fanning out in a long train, concocted by the Milanese designer and her daughter Lucilla.
Throughout the years, Beccaria has been faithful to her romantic style; even when the world has inexorably swirled around a smorgasbord of sweatshirts, tracksuits, and hoodies, she has never strayed from her florals, her pale blues, and her laces and organzas. But being the smart businesswoman that she is, she has expanded her options to include more daywear and more forgiving silhouettes to accommodate different body types. Mothers and daughters shop together for her creations, and her fan base is younger than ever. The Resort collection was full of dresses that could work not only for a chic fete champêtre or a posh cocktail party, but also for a working meeting in the city. Take, for instance, a tiered midi dress in crisp pale blue cotton printed in delicate florals; a flounced floral jacquard frock in a vibrant shade of turquoise with ruched bell sleeves; and a circle skirt with three-dimensional embroidered blooms, paired with a masculine shirt in micro-floral printed chiffon. None of them would look out of place at the office, if paired with flats, espadrilles, or a pair of sneakers.
That said, Beccaria’s style is at its most resplendent when she’s designing for elegant soirées and receptions with a sense of occasion. Resort offered plenty of choices in embroidered lace, layered tulle, macramé, and wispy organza. A standout was a floor-sweeping cape dress in finely pleated tulle in hues of cerulean and forget-me-not; it looked modern yet fit for a princess.
