The rest of the fashion world may be going mad for the ’70s, but Yigal Azrouël is having none of it. This season—in what may turn out to be a move that makes his loyal customers very happy—Azrouël was determined to stick to his guns and work up a collection of defiantly un-boho looks marked by his brand’s signature sexy urbanity. The focus here was on fabrication: Texture provided the kick to most of these pieces, whether a slim knit in variegated silk, wool, and cashmere, or a cropped motorcycle jacket featuring braided leather. Azrouël’s most intriguing material, though, was a type of jacquard that he’d developed—a basket weave of various black threads deployed in fitted looks for evening and punctuated with fringe. The silhouettes were straightforward, but the material made the clothes distinctive. The designer played a similar trick with a black-and-navy embroidery pattern, which provided items such as a simple tank minidress with some graphic impact. The collection’s standout piece, however, jettisoned the textural theme: A seam-detailed crepe jumpsuit, with a daring cutout in back, is exactly the kind of sexy yet unfussy thing women rely on Azrouël for. He once again proved himself reliable.
Yigal Azrouël
