Antonio Berardi spring/summer 2017 collection catwalk show for LFW

There were strong parallels between Antonio Berardi’s latest collection and that showcased at the same time last year for his SS16 show. The use of fine, distressed feather-like yarn and the focus on detail at the back of pieces featured once again on the catwalk and, once again, created a fascinating balance across the whole of an outfit that few other designers explore in as much depth. One of the key themes emerging from this collection was the use of exoskeletal design: making a feature of a piece’s structuring and placing it on the outside of a garment. Simple corsets with hooks and eyes became the focus of shirts with intricately beaded sleeves; waist-length, whale-boned bodices were added on top of delicate silk shirts; a military-esque shoulder holster in dazzling gold was the only embellishment on a black shirt dress. Barardi’s return to exaggerating the back of a look was a welcome one – and one that revealed the ongoing influence of his former post as John Galliano’s assistant. Shirts billowed, mid-length dresses had dramatic trains and apparently simple off-shoulder suit jackets revealed back panels made entirely of lace. Berardi was criticised in Vogue last year for putting out a confused collection. This is certainly not the case for SS17, which seems tighter and more cohesive. It will be exciting to see where Berardi’s extension of the above themes takes him in SS18.

Katie Dean
Photos: Krisztian Pinter

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