It would be so easy for Alessandra Rich to make catty little dresses that sell like hotcakes and think nothing of their intention or place in society. But Rich knows good and well the meaning of her ’80s-inflected frocks. Their Reagan-era fabulousness stripped of some sinister implications, cultish It pieces that want to remember only the punchy drama of Dynasty without any of the pushing, shoving, or wine sloshing. With a tongue-in-cheek wink, she provided a women’s interest mag–style quiz on the seat of every guest at her Spring 2020 show today that led attendees to determine which kind of lady they are. If you answered that your first thought in the morning was finding your marabou slippers, you were “Totally Ladylike.” Scrolling through your phone got an answer of “New Ladylike,” and buy some snake earrings resulted in “Rebel Ladylike.” Provided with pencils, guests clad in head-to-toe Rich went wild for the quiz.
The women who gussied up in Rich’s subversively prim frocks for the show will also go wild for her Spring 2020 collection. It was, without fail, her sexiest yet, riffing on transparency, crystal trim, and swimwear—a complete pivot from the navy polka-dot frock Kate Middleton once wore into seductive, sultry territory. The silhouette was still entirely ’80s, but Rich expanded her repertoire into Laura Ashley pouf sleeves and bow trims, Emanuel Ungaro prints and minis, and an Oscar de la Renta–esque black velvet dress with a tulle skirt hemmed in thick ribbon bands. In some ways, this was a rehashing of vintage garments for women who would never enter a vintage store or trawl the corners of Etsy—if they did, they could find similarly retro OTT ensembles for a fraction of the cost. But Rich knows how to create an aura around her pieces. With rhinestone-strewn hairnets, sky-high stilettos, and pouty glares, her runway models are reflections of the women that buy her clothes: Savvy, strong, and totally Rich.
