If the opening look—a black waistcoat bustier and trousers—gives the impression that Barbara Bui has taken a sober direction for Spring, you need only advance to the next image, with its lush scenery and acid green draped dress, to sense the true spirit of this collection. From her Marais showroom, Bui noted how Cuba and Costa Rica loosely informed her embrace of lively color and pattern while a ’90s mood motivated many of the silhouettes. By adding Bianca Jagger and Linda Evangelista to the mix as muses, her composite of so-called “exotic” and city chic took shape in several wearable ways. The two figure-flattering jersey dresses, for starters; and the tailored pieces, this time in slick ultramarine satin or sleek off-white. “I love working with men’s jackets to make them exceptional for women,” said the designer, who understands the value in re-editing her best sellers each season.
Granted, you’d need to be in the right mood for any of the fringed looks—from a color-blocked suede vest to the reinterpreted ponchos and party dresses. And that acid green—Bui called it absinthe—is the type of polarizing hue that is either adored or abhorred. Here, the determining factor might come down to dosage. A gilet crested with ostrich feathers was kooky yet cool; an all-over satiny biker outfit with ostrich features cascading down the sleeves seemed like the kind of potential fashion crime that some music artist would commit with pride. Among the men’s pieces, a patchwork bandana top and a sweater covered in extra-large sequins were extroverted without being absurd. Bui may no longer be seeking attention in the way she communicates her collections, but there’s no question she imbues the pieces themselves with sufficient attitude to attract it.
