Monique Lhuillier Fall 2014

 Pretty is as pretty does. And no one does pretty better than Monique Lhuillier, and she has a long list of celebs and stylists who thirst after her red-carpet gowns for all that pretty Lhuillier injects into her frothy creations.

This season Lhuillier took another direction. The pretty is still there, but distilled through the romantic lens of sumptuous shadow with a hint of glam and glitz. This perspective is made evident in Lhuillier’s use of diaphanous fabrics of tulle, organza, silk chiffon and sequined, embroidered lace layered over silk taffeta, silk crepe and silk canvas. These effects rendered a shadowy, almost spectral mood to the collection.

Also, by juxtaposing old world embroidery techniques with the modern fabrications of vinyl and neoprene, Lhuillier brought a sophisticated, but modern elegance that was missing from her spring 2014 collection; a collection that didn’t go beyond pretty.

Though the silhouettes were mostly simple this season, Lhuillier did employ some asymmetrical cuts and architectural silhouettes. And by mixing tweed prints with leather, vinyl and neoprene, Lhuillier added that hint of futuristic modernism that had been missing in some previous outings. Good fashion is always now and next, and Lhuillier’s ingenious combination of innovative fabrications with old world couture techniques helped this collection embrace retail viability while projecting toward the future.

Standouts in the collection were Lhuillier’s fuchsia tweed-print vinyl trench coat with cashmere lapel, ombre pink skull embroidered tulle cocktail dress, noir strapless tulle gown with skull-embroidered bodice and noir silk taffeta bateau neck high-low gown with fuchsia baroque embroidery.

—William S. Gooch