Monique Lhuillier Fall/Winter 2013

As fashion industry professionals debate the creative verve of the fall/winter 2013 collections and how the commercialization and corporatization has diminished the ebullience and wow factor of many of the top brands, Monique Lhuillier proved this season that her point of view and brilliance has not dimmed. Though she is quickly becoming a red carpet darling with a variety of actresses and young starlets donning her red-carpet ready gowns, she is always pushing the proverbial fashion envelope and striving to find that delicate balance between market viability and fashion as wearable art. And this season she found that balance!!

Inspired by gemstones, amethyst, malachite green, and oxblood, Lhuillier drew from her deep well of technical skill and knowledge of different eras to create a collection that was dreamy, fashion-forward, but not beyond the parlance and palette of many women. Though Lhuillier introduced her collection with a few daytime dresses and separates, this collection, similar to the past couple of seasons, is heavy on evening wear, and in particular red carpet looks. Still, Lhuillier attempted to transport her woman from a few sophisticated daytime looks in three dimensional cable knits to some abstract print dresses to more show-stopping evening looks of lace cigarette pants and duster coats to beaded lace, sequined gowns.

Lhuillier used the gradations and striations found in malachite green as reference point for several looks in this collection. Standouts were Lhuillier’s malachite green feather lace, high-low cocktail dress, malachite green, printed faille strapless draped column dress and malachite green and black ombré chiffon gown with black suede bodice.

Though Lhuillier stayed on trend with her green palette, Lhuiller also employed some interesting gowns in other jewel and metal tones of amethyst, garnet, gold, and copper.  And Lhuillier ingeniously worked her metal and gemstone‒inspired collection into everything from the runway background to digital floor imaging.

Overall this collection was almost a perfect, seamless manifestation of where Lhuillier believes evening wear is heading with very few misses, excluding the exception of a purple fringed gown that was a bit overworked. Still, perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and Lhuillier fall 2013 for a beautiful sight to behold!!

—William S. Gooch