Now that the Duchess of Cambridge is wearing her, the Jenny Packham show is an undeniably packed house. Always a cult red-carpet favorite, the designer is deserving of her newly heightened fame. Jenny is a rare talent with a soft touch; she has a keen eye for glamour without being obvious or overt.
Fall 2012 is her season to shine, and she delivered a modern femme fatale inspired by Film Noir. It’s also the season to get a little less ethereal and a little tougher, with “a little bit of a harder edge to the collection,” said Jenny. Smoky air set the tone for a dramatic show.
Crepe and crystals, sequined bodices and satin chiffon – her beading and embellishments are gorgeous, as always. And while the red, black, white, and pale pink body-hugging dresses and pencil skirt-and-shell combos projected an undeniable strength, especially in the shoulders, it is all still feminine and fluid. These are pieces for a very specific girl, one who’s fraught with intriguing contraction: she is mighty on the inside but a completely wispy femme on the exterior.
