Julien Macdonald 09 - 2010

Twist of taste.

The fact that big-shouldered, bling-festooned dressing is now being shamelessly enjoyed by Christophe Decarnin at Balmain (and his many fans) doesn't make Macdonald an imitator—he was already there ten or so years ago. Add to that the fact that inventive, slightly punky laddered knitwear is on the fashion roster again and you have two strikes in favor of this Welsh national celebrity: He, after all, was the talented knitter who made that look fashionable in the early nineties.

S2010-Macdonald was smart to limit his palette to red, black, beige, and white, and to pare his statement back to cutting and piecing jersey, and splicing in sheer inserts. True, there are others working around the same sort of ideas this season (lace-sided leggings are everywhere, for instance), but Macdonald, with his experience in Parisian haute couture, has a head start on them. By holding back his urge to complicate and decorate, he showed the best of himself—though he did indulge in one silver-pailletted mermaid dress for old times' sake. Allowed to shine on its own, it looked all the more special. That's an experience Julien Macdonald can take away and be proud of.

peace out cowboys! oxox