Jenny Packham looked to the natural world, pointing out, poetically, that as time passes and people’s grasp on protecting the planet begins to loosen, “its wonders seem to shine ever more brightly as we are forced to contemplate their loss.”
The nature theme, no doubt, comes naturally to the designer whose brother is Chris Packham, one of Britain’s best-known naturalists, a BBC TV personality and wildlife campaigner. Imagine the conversations they must have over a Sunday lunch (vegetarian, of course).
In her liner notes, Packham even referenced a Mexican tale about a gray hummingbird that flies through a rainbow, and finds itself with a new set of multicolored wings.
Those fast-flitting, colorful birds inspired the gossamer dresses, and sparkling embellishments, of Packham’s evening and occasion-focused collection.
The designer said the category is having a moment because, despite the continued impact of the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, people “want color and excitement. They want to go out.”
Packham said she’s been seeing this trend for a few months now, especially in Western countries, where COVID-19 restrictions have mostly been lifted.
Business, she said, has been thriving in the U.S., and online at Farfetch, where Packham has been catering to customers with a steady stream of product drops.
For fall, she took shades of amethyst, gold and petrol blue and paired them with brighter hues for a collection that was filled with gossamer, off-the-shoulder ballgowns, and long dresses with ostrich feather tufts and a shower of sparkles.
A deep purple minidress with feathery edges glistened with sequins, while a long, sequined sheath came with its own little cape as delicate as a hummingbird’s wings.
