It was all about buy-now-wear-now at Club Monaco, which staged a delightful fall presentation in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall. The women’s collection, designed by Caroline Belhumeur, was inspired by Victorian interiors — from wallpaper to furniture trimmings — and featured rich velvet dresses, prim ruffled blouses, metallic pleated skirts, a tassel-fringe top and skirt, and a plethora of floral prints. But to keep the lineup from looking too proper, Belhumeur played with contrast and mixed in military-inspired pieces such as officers’ coats and cargo pants.
These were all wearable pieces the Club Monaco customer will love, but the real standout was the terrific outerwear, which included shearling toppers. “I have a soft spot for outerwear and always end up with too many coats,” noted Belhumeur.
In Matthew Millward’s first men’s wear collection, he accomplished his goal of elevating the Club Monaco man. “My dream is that he is more polished and put together, so I put a real focus on fit and fabric,” he said.
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The designer accomplished that through the use of nubby textures in coats and jackets, luxury yarns in knitwear and an updated color palette. Key pieces included a long green military overcoat and a green shearling jacket. “The olive color is really luxe,” he said, noting that he used his English heritage to inject life into the tailored pieces.
Trousers offered some volume and included pleats in many cases, another element that added interest. Although the men’s line was small — only 12 pieces — the capsule left us wondering where Millward will take his man next season.