Veronique Branquinho

"I wanted to make it much cleaner, with a lot of attention on construction", said Veronique Branquinho backstage. "A lot of details were erased". Paradoxically, the tactic only served to up the design quotient in her latest collection. Its effects were particularly alluring in an evening group of gray flannel tuxedos (that also came in beige), where even the cummerbund was flannel. In such a context, one did tend to notice the cut of the jackets, as well as the new volume in the trousers. Items like a gray flannel biker jacket and an evening shirt made from the same fabric were an oddly seductive variant on the mutant vibe that is a Branquinho signature. Elsewhere, she warped a cape and a duffel coat into one piece. A trench and a Tyrolean loden coat were also combined. As for a driving coat in a blanket check of brown and black, it wasn't exactly a hybrid, but it sure looked good. These repurposed outerwear classics were the most interesting pieces in the collection, largely because they looked completely thought through. Overall, it was this considered quality that made the collection so much more appealing than Branquinho's last few presentations, where "authenticity" spelled ennui.