As any street-style photographer would tell you, the show starts long before the doors open.
And it’s not Uma Wang, whose fall season started with her observation of opera-goers, who would disagree. “It’s so interesting to see how different woman prepare themselves for the evening,” she said backstage.
Even when an outfit appears simple at first glance, the wearer adds an accessory or adjustment of their choice to give it more pizzazz, she added.
Plus, living in Verona, Italy, for the better part of the year these days, there’s plenty more to look at while you wait when the evening’s venue is the city’s ancient Roman amphitheater, where the passing of the ages is legible in every corner.
She translated all of this into a fall collection that once again highlighted her deft hand at constructions and knowledge of textiles. More often than not, the combination of the two created sculptural draping, even on the simplest of sack dresses.
Case in point: square and rectangular patterns for sleeves were modeled after the features of buildings, but turned softly architectural — not to mention highly wearable — when executed in Wang’s habitual use of linens, wools and jacquards.
Other standouts included cropped jackets with a blousy back offset by high-waisted carrot pants and mannish oversized suits given tucks and darts that made them more flattering to the feminine form. They made you forget about near-costumey checkerboard options.
A diffuse 1930s flavor, plus those little bowling hats, nodded to her recent men’s outing in Milan but also to the trends emerging from Paris’ women’s runways, rounding out a lineup equally appealing to old souls and today’s shopper.
