How to dress to impress from the Pre-Fall 2021 collections

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

The mood of Sarah Burton’s latest offering is in part a continuation of the dramatic shapes of her Spring/ Summer collection coupled with her signature hybrid-centric approach to design. Expect exaggerated silhouettes and voluminous drama in supersonic colours; a utilitarian take on hybridised pieces and deconstructed power suits that’re impeccably crafted. Meanwhile, another longstanding staple of McQueen design ethos—the combination of hard and soft—is illustrated through ruffed dresses worn over the knee-high leather Wellington boots. Chic as usual with a McQueen edge.

MOSCHINO

Paying tribute to the art of assemblage, Jeremy Scott cut shapes and stripes out of the house’s unmistakable codes and then pieced and patchworked them into liveable, malleable statues. From textile-blocked moto jackets to fusion eveningwear, the collection is a montage of Moschino-isms. Sweatsuits are spliced with silk; denim is paired with leather and baroque prints and hyper-embellishments are placed on corsets and thigh-high boots— it is a mix-and-matched world of wonders.

VALENTINO

For the past year, Pierpaolo Piccioli has been re-signifying the Valentino lexicon with a new warmth of humanity. The brand’s Pre-Fall ’21 collection is an essential wardrobe that consists of a variable system of pieces in which one can create her personas from. And just like everyone is a different person at a different time, the collection moves from coats and animal prints to minimal dresses and sweatshirts with applied roses; from foulard motifs to denim and ponchos; from classic and reassuring colours to ethereal and surprising hues; from killer heels to utilitarian wedges; from assertive, over-the-knee boots to demure kitten heels.

BURBERRY

Riccardo Tisci’s love for juxtaposition of nature is clearly reflected throughout this collection, “I have been inspired by the rich heritage of traditional British dress codes and given them a fresh perspective: tempering camouflage prints to blend harmoniously within natural environments, combining them with structured tailoring and romantic florals, broderie anglaise details and references to the animal kingdom,” the chief creative officer says. The clothes are an eclectic mix of camouflage over trench coats and mesh bodysuits, as well as floral prints applied to field jackets, cargo trousers, short-sleeve shirts and jogging pants. Considered this the Burberry uniform for the outdoors.

LOUIS VUITTON

For Pre-Fall ’21, Nicolas Ghesquière enlists actress Stacy Martin as the face of the collection where inspirations are drawn from LV’s three stylistic pillars: Tech Romanticism, Energetic Sportswear, and Rediscovering Essentials. The results are an unusual mish-mash of looks such as a broderie anglaise top worn with bright blue track shorts; and a colour-block windbreaker paired with flower-printed jeans and slides. “Stacy has innate elegance and an inspiring personality,” the designer, who also photographed the campaign says, “I have a lot of respect for her career path, her bold choices and the roles she takes on. I very much enjoyed photographing Stacy. So cool and laid-back, I love the way she wears my collections.”

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

Florals for spring (or any season for that matter) might not be ground- breaking, but they are surely pretty as hell. Celebrating the imperturbable beauty of Tuscan wildflowers, the Ferragamo Pre- Fall ’21 collection features a series of poppies, daisies and sunflowers as typical emblems of the countryside of Florence—on its garments and accessories. Shapes and silhouettes convey a feel of ease and comfort with relaxed pieces like a languid shirtdress, slender tunic and flowy pleated skirt in matching floral print with silk scarves, sneakers and even a bathing suit. The dreamy campaign also features 6 artists from different cultures and nationalities who reimagine the Tuscan wildflowers print in their own lexicon. Excuse us while we dream about our next escape.

GIVENCHY

Matthew Williams, Givenchy’s newly minted creative director isn’t particularly interested in pop culture or historical references. Instead, he wants his Givenchy collections to reflect today’s world. In his sophomore outing for the brand, Williams builds a design language of industrial-tinged cool with a fresh take on couture tradition— reflected in pieces like a deconstructed varsity jacket, silk leggings and razor- sharp tailored outerwear. However, the biggest standouts are the footwear, notably the peep-toe patent boots in pillar-box red and lacquered black; hefty sheepskin slippers with Marshmallow rubber soles and flatbed studded tourist sandals—all screaming for social media attention.

COACH

Stuart Vevers’ free-spirited vision of Coach is echoed in his latest Pre-Fall outing. By playfully combining the house’s heritage in craft with the codes of American sportswear, the sports- meets-vintage looks come in the form of hand-embroidered knitwear, floral dresses as well as biker shorts. On top of that, the brand also debuted the Coach Originals Quilties—a line of archival bags in soft quilted nappa leather and denim jacquard. The campaign, starring Dree Hemingway, Hari Nef and Rickey Thompson, explores the idea of new adventures and road trips which is the perfect backdrop for Vevers’ nonchalant clothes and youthful accessories.