Fausto Puglisi always seems torn between his penchant for fiercely embellished, brash femininity — and his desire to make his fashion universe a tad more approachable.
He found the right balance via athletic and streetwear references, which gave his fall collection a graphic verve. Take away the thigh-high gladiator boots and lampshade skirts and — voila — cardigan-easy coats, cool sweaters and kicky skirts.
Jewel tones, a new palette for Puglisi, seemed like an olive branch to color-loving retailers, like the Neiman Marcus Group executives who sat in the front row. He carved them into blocks and stripes for oversize varsity jackets, and spliced colorful grosgrain ribbons into cheerleader skirts. The sweaters and cardigans were striking and original in a patchwork of fisherman and fuzzy textures — the latter propped on the shoulders like a regal cape.
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Backstage, Puglisi’s mood board spanned from 7th-century Sicilian religious garb to Madonna on stage — along with Los Angeles street scenes and their trademark palm trees, a motif in his first collection and treasured still. Detecting sensory overload as he also pointed to images of cowboy buckles, mosaic floors and bodybuilders, he offered this reassurance: “There’s lots of things you can wear with jeans.”