Zadig & Voltaire wrangled a variety of industry heavyweights for its show today: models Kirsten Owen, Soo Joo Park, Hanne Gaby Odiele, and Jamie Bochert; runway music master Frédéric Sanchez (who spliced U2’s “Numb” with Missy Elliott’s “One Minute Man”); and producer Alexandre de Betak. While designer Cecilia Bönström did not try to pass off her sweaterdresses and embellished parkas as anything more than “clothes with attitude,” it’s clear that the brand understands the importance of perception. For all the spangled jumpsuits and jackets, there were an equal number of well-designed knits. The overarching message came via a military green coat, to which Bönström added trendy detailing and accents of tangerine. She used a vintage dress to inform the final look, and loosely adopted Warhol’s flowers for the collection’s sole print. Styling was crucial here. What happens if, a few months from now, a shopper enters a store and tries on the long embroidered lace skirt; will she figure out that it looks best when worn with an oversize sweater, attaining Bönström’s oppositional ideal? There’s no way to know—and certainly no way to control it. All the more reason to stage a knockout show.
—Amy Verner
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