In the past, Naeem Khan has designed megawatt, over-the-top, sequin-drenched red carpet looks. This season, the collection had a more subdued and elegant attitude. Here were yesteryear-feeling pieces, looks that appeared as if they were plucked from a vintage store in Paris, like a slinky, body-hugging oxidized crimson dress embroidered in abstract florals (Khan wanted to shift from dainty flowers this season) with a dropping back. Separates, something Khan is developing more, had a shining moment, like his version of the shawl. The collection could have veered into dowdy territory but the delicately embroidered piece with swinging fringe and its cropped cut lent a cool figure when worn with a silk tank and drawstring pants.
Fun fact: Khan started his career at the house of Halston, and here he created several dresses as an ode. They still stand the test of time and looked quite chic, including a glitzy body-hugging purple number with a criss-cross neck.
Khan always has his international customer base in mind, and a big moment here was the update on the kaftan. There were added seams in the fabric that outlined the body to create a kaftan-dress hybrid, a feature that merged tradition and modernity quite beautifully.
