Treading a softer, more romantic direction, this was the closest Sébastien Meunier has gotten to Ann Demeulemeester, the woman, since taking over the creative reins from the house’s namesake founder in 2013.
The designer’s way of layering and mixing black-and-white elements like elongated coats closed with ties, billowing cotton dresses and fluid ivory pajama looks, folding in rock ’n’ roll touches of leather and historical references, perfectly captured her poetry.
Flowing looks falling off the body and trailing white feather boas and delicate cotton ties were dreamy. Ostrich feather embellishments also dusted the sandals and hats, and formed sprays at the shoulder of a broderie anglaise lingerie top, with signature beaded body harnesses on some of the looks.
The plays on the waistcoat and the closing black tank scrawled with the words Forever Two Kids — the sole men’s look — was also pure Demeulemeester. So convincing was he in capturing the house’s DNA that it felt like a flashback to something we could have seen at the house a decade ago. The effect was of still water with the occasional ripple, which was soothing, but — joined by a hypnotic performance by Belgian act Warhaus — a little soporific.