Victoria Beckham looked at the artistic and personal style of the artist, socialite and rule-breaker Tamara de Lempicka for a distilled collection that was big on texture — and attitude. And like de Lempicka’s paintings, it was full of clean lines, saturated color and an emphasis on the sensual curves of the female body.
These silhouettes were more refined than ever, still-strong, but more fitted and practical. Tailored suits, including a sculptural brown striped wool one with fabric woven especially for the brand, marched onto the runway. They were paired with collared shirts and ties with a 1980’s Wall Street vibe, or with sultry waistcoats underneath.
Trousers were neat and fitted, with small pointy flaps jutting from front pockets, a nod to the Cubist influences in de Lempicka’s work. Beckham paired those trousers with cropped knits resembling vintage ski sweaters, or jackets with flipped-up collars and geometric folds, a further reference to de Lempicka, whose work blended elements of Cubism and Art Deco.
Other knits were oversized and ribbed, with collars, or shorter, with cutouts. They came in rich neutrals, including gray, olive, cream and navy, and balanced out the fluttery skirts, dresses and slimmer trousers.
Coats were sweeping and draped, including a navy one with a thick band at the back that opened the show, trenches with epaulets and bomber jackets with shearling collars and rounded statement sleeves.
Dresses, a major engine behind Beckham’s growing business, came with the same clear lines and minimal embellishment.
Long slipdresses with delicate folds were as spare and fluttery as toiles, while fabric rosettes tumbled down the front of silk dresses, including a beautiful sage one and formed the bodices of curvy gowns and the fringe on swingy skirts.
For evening there were beautiful organza dresses with pouf skirts that had delicate “mille-feuille” pleats. Other dresses had geometric bodices, including a flirty velvet one with a pouf miniskirt like a cheeky wink from an artist who knows her mind.
