Jeffrey Dodd didn’t have to look far for inspiration: His first pre-fall lineup took cues from the Jean DuBuffet public art piece “Group of Four Trees” near his home in Lower Manhattan. The loopy, amorphous lines of the 40-foot, black-and-white sculpture, installed in 1971, carried over into Dodd’s collection via curved embroideries and textures. It was easy to see the connection on a slinky, three-quarter sleeve gown hand-embroidered with silver and violet sequins in a camouflage wave pattern.
Tailored silk suiting and separates have been a Dodd signature, but here, an amped up selection of eveningwear showcased his eye for luxe, modernist craftsmanship. For example, a black strapless jumpsuit with a chiffon overlay and a subtle metallic sheen worn under a belted astrakhan fur coat, and blouses covered in tightly stacked sequins that looked like caviar beading.
Dodd is shifting his strategy to release four tight collections per year rather than two. “It’s about doing more deliveries of smaller collections, so there’s this newness factor,” Dodd said. “And I also work better if I don’t get to stop.”