Sydney-based designer Toni Maticevski takes a special satisfaction in two parts of his design process: The beginning and the end. As he explained at an appointment, he creates his sculptural evening looks by draping them, and thanks to that, they retain a quality of muscularity and gusto. Then, he went on to say, he’s passionate about “finishing,” the touches that give his clothes their air of refinement. So far, so good, and per usual the new Maticevski collection offered a bevy of undeniably gorgeous gowns and high-drama, dressy separates. His silvery jacquard and geometric black-and-white lace pieces had a particular flair. Where Maticevski struggles is as an editor: His passion for materials is self-evident, but his penchant for making substantially similar looks in a panoply of fabric options has the effect of stripping his collections of authority. It’s one thing to cut a voluminous strapless top in luxe jacquard and in cotton poplin—that’s a demonstration of the way the silhouette can inhabit different tones—but another to proffer various New Look-shaped dresses and skirts in three iterations of gray-toned sport mesh. Maticevski needs to start making firmer decisions about which of his materials belong in a coat, which others ought to be deployed in a trim skirt and bandeau, which others yet make the most impact when frothed into a ruffled gown, and so on. For that matter, he could also do with a stiffer edit of his silhouettes—the vaguely futuristic tailored minidresses here, for example, seemed distinctly out of key with the rest of the lineup. As it stands, you get the impression that Maticevski is second-guessing his instincts about what really works in his collections and offering his clientele a blur of choices in a strong proposition’s stead. He’s a good designer; he should have the courage of his convictions.
Maticevski
