This season, Lubov Azria scheduled intimate appointments to show her Hervé Léger spring collection. Inspired by the self-expression of modern dance, Azria watched a documentary on Sergei Polunin, known as the bad boy of ballet, and the connection made sense. After all, Hervé Léger dresses are all about the form of the body, albeit a woman’s.
While staying true to the brand’s aesthetic, Azria managed to create movement and softness in ballet-inspired dresses with delicate ribbon ties that spoke to romance. She also worked with wovens for the first time, offering delicate organza outerwear and a ruffled flounce ballerina dress worn with a bandage knit cropped top.
In an effort to evolve the bandage dress, the designer created dimension in her collection with a collage of fabrics, pleating and rig-rag stitching — all delightful attempts at moving the label forward. But Azria knows what sells, so she still offered plenty of bondage dresses but played with ombré grommets and touches of pleated leather for a harder edge against all the frothy ballerina looks.