September 5, 2007

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig fused the looks of Marlene Dietrich and the Duchess of Windsor last season.  This time around, the British designers spiked Victorian elegance with Indian glitter. Models stood on display at Chelsea Art Museum in Marchesa gowns overflowing with lace, embroidery and jewel detailing.  Maharaja-inspired caftans and silk harem pants were unlike anything the design team had produced before, while corsets and grosgrain bows carried the theme of English royalty from past collections.  Craig and Chapman chose a palette dominated by black, white, navy, and pink, punctuated by a few pieces in vivid saffron and cerise. Updating saris and corsets is a tricky business, but Anne Hathaway, Rachel Zoe, and model Jacquetta Wheeler, who took in the show, certainly seemed to be eyeing their next red carpet dress.