Moved by military and political unrest in recent history, Matthew Miller incorporated subtle martial details into his sophisticated fall collection.
A 1941 fighter pilot bomber jacket that had a seat cushion sewn into the back to protect airborne derrières from the effects of juddering engines and steel seats became a springboard for some lovely silhouette and layering ideas, especially well executed in the tweed bomber that had a panel hanging from the back and grosgrain ribbon trailing behind.
Combat vests in nylon were covered in pockets and worn over fine knits, while Miller’s take on the parachute bag resulted in a soft nylon backpack. And his signature biker jackets looked great in black shearling and leather, their tough attitude tempered by the long and fluid cardigans worn underneath.
Some models wore two shirts, with the top-most shirt half-buttoned and only one sleeve in use so that the other trailed behind. It was a nice idea but might have worked better in more supple fabrics. Miller’s tailoring expertise was at work in cleanly cut coats and narrow trousers.