When Narciso Rodriguez opens his show with a roomy pleated wool wrap coat that engulfs the model’s body it is instantly understandable that something major is going on. This is a man who is famous for his form-fitting, tailored-to-perfection designs.
But now it seems he has decided to give his women a bit more room to breathe. They can say yes to that second cookie knowing that they will still be able to slip into one of Rodriguez’s designs, albeit one from this season’s hand knit cashmere sweaters, roomy slip dresses or spacious coats.
This new relaxed sartorial attitude will be welcomed with open arms by the designer’s devoted fans, and is sure to bring a whole new segment of women into the folds of his fashion house. He should be applauded for finding a way to translate his perfectionist standards to these new silhouettes. By stepping out of his comfort zone to create more unstructured designs, Rodriguez has shown himself to be a much more versatile artist than some might have been lead to believe.
This was a watershed show for the designer that gave his signature brand a creative breath of fresh air. And thanks to it we can now all breathe a bit more easily.