Playing with Blocks: Roksanda Ilincic Fall 2014
There has always been a sense of theater to Roksanda Ilincic’s designs. When she started out just over a decade ago, her eveningwear consisted of romantic costumes, partly inspired by the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga and her collection of vintage Yves Saint Laurent, which exceeds 500 pieces. Today, the Serbian-born designer is more recognized for her boldly elegant designs that grace the backs of royalty and actresses alike.
This season, there wasn’t a conventional cocktail number in sight. Instead, there were elongated silhouettes with hems and volumes that felt challenging — in a good way. Outward panels and peplums lent pieces an architectural quality that felt right at home for Ilincic, who trained as an architect before transferring to Central Saint Martins. And there was an enticing color palette of bordeaux, dusty yellow and dove gray punctuated by myriad blues, which was reflected in the Gary Card-designed set.
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p class=”p1″>Vibrant pieces were crafted from a multitude of rubber and plastic scraps from previous collections, cut into small shapes and delicately appliquéd to create something entirely new. It was a dramatic ending to a blockbuster show from the designer and, with the designer’s first store being built in Mayfair’s Mount Street, one that’s entirely deserving of a space all its own.