After several seasons of pretty presentations, Ryan Roche stepped up to the runway for the first time for fall. She kept the show very small, just a single row of seats on either side of the runway — a humble strip of white carpet — which was a smart move. An aesthetic like hers, quiet and gentle, could easily be drowned out by a big production.
What the new show format allowed for was room to view each look on its own and appreciate her delicate, purist approach to knitwear. Roche is a knitwear aficionado, her stitchwork almost flawless. A snow-white cashmere sweater and fine-gauge knit trousers were pristine. A slim red knit dress with blouson sleeves and slightly peaked shoulders had the graceful romantic potency of a classic red lipstick. She gave her hushed silhouettes — dancerly slips, body-skimming gowns and sweaters — power by working in tonal, head-to-toe colors, like white, red, nude and black. Emphasizing the shoulders on dresses and blazers, and accessorizing them with neck scarves, opened up the look to a mild late Seventies/Eighties vibe.