For his return to the runway after a two-year hiatus, Christian Wijnants was feeling calm, and it showed. It could have been the benefits of getting into yoga a few months prior that informed his desire for a more minimal, pared-back aesthetic for his spring collection.
“I wanted the collection to be more serene, back to the essential wardrobe, and to try new shapes as well,” he explained backstage after the show. “During COVID-19 I enjoyed a period when everything was slower… I think I wanted that peace of mind again.”
The result was an articulate balance of crisp and breezy, accentuated by simple styling and relaxed, natural fabrics, some with slightly crinkled surfaces, others with a sheen or flow.
Even the tailoring — of which there was more than usual in the lineup — exuded a relaxed vibe, with boxy buttonless blouses paired with wide pants and loose shirt jackets worn over mini wrap skirts. Cap-sleeved safari-style minidresses and sleeveless bombers also made their way into the lineup, while a strappy dress in an intricate chunky beige crochet provided contrast and texture.
A signature blurred floral print was overstitched with pinstripe details on utilitarian shapes or worn floaty in draped wrap dresses held together on one shoulder. Wijnants played repeatedly with stripes, meanwhile, on a variety of layered shift dresses made from twill with a floaty organza over-layer, the transparency creating a trompe-l’oeil check effect as they billowed on the runway.
