Christian Siriano Pre-Fall 2020

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Collection

The first impression one might take away from seeing Christian Siriano’s new collection is that it’s very muted. There was only black, white, gray and beige, which might seem off-brand for the designer, especially coming off a spring collection that he said was “literally a trip on crazy color.” But it was a refresh of sorts, a “palette” cleanser, while maintaining the drama and excitement Siriano brings to the evening world.

He experimented with tailoring in playful ways that allowed the clothes to be more modern and cool. There wasn’t a single straightforward blazer: rather, he spliced a black one with sheer overlay on one side, while another off-white number appeared cropped, yet actually featured a built-in sheer skirt. It allowed for more versatility in styling, where sheer pants could layer under such a skirt or with any of the reworked tailoring. The experimentation crossed over to dresses, too, including a drapy sleeveless dress with lapels and an off-the-shoulder piece with double-breasted button closure. “I wanted things that felt almost somewhat utilitarian, even masculine in a way,” he said during a walk-through.

The structured silhouettes took their cues from interior design, where balance plays a vital role. He was particularly drawn to stonework shapely and clean, which inspired the color of a big gray ballgown along with transparency details to show lightness in an otherwise elaborate piece. He injected coolness into an ultra-sleek faux croc jacket inspired by a similarly patterned bench, and when pairing a lace corset with leather shorts. Yet nothing was cooler than hearing about his customers’ gender nonconforming boldness, including a man who recently ordered a similar corseted piece for his wedding day.