In London, the first warm days of summer are rolling in, and it seems the Jenny Packham woman is ready to party. Describing the client she was designing for this season as “international, independent, determined, free,” it was a notably youthful-feeling offering, with Packham’s signature glitz and sequins dialed up to the max.
Top of mind for Packham this season was the ’60s, which may have had something to do with those daring proportions. (The designer cited icons including Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot, and Anita Pallenberg as being on her moodboard, noting that over the decades they’ve remained “symbols of the era’s rebellious spirit.”) That came through in a series of mini dresses that carried an arresting shimmer. One especially dazzling example featured swishy embellishments that swung from its surface like pendants; a number of more figure-hugging silhouettes were decorated with strips of twinkling Swarovski crystals to accentuate the wearer’s curves. One new style even featured sheer cut-outs—well, sheer except for the gauzy webbing of crystals that covered the model’s midriff.
Aside from those va-va-voom moments, there were a number of more demure styles in royal blues and corals to keep Packham’s more traditional clientele happy. And what struck you most was the craftsmanship: the punchy, illusory effect created by the ingenious use of silver and gold beading against black fabrics, or just the level of intricacy involved in the various styles of beading used more broadly, from honeycomb patterns to ’60s-inspired teardrops. It was fun to see Packham get the party started.