This fall, the Reem Acra woman wants you to get caught in her net. More specifically, her fishnet. This collection was all about the fishnet, and I’m not talking strictly fishnet stockings (like the ones Beyoncé brought back in a fierce way). Reem has taken the sexy, baring texture and applied it to inserts and overlays all over her gowns, dresses, and blouses. There was even a fishnet-print pump, in case the message wasn’t loud and semi-sheer.
Acra had just gotten back from a trip to Japan, and she returned inspired. From the high-necked silhouettes to the kimono-esque wrap coats (enter the big volume) to the carefully tucked draping, the new Reem woman is a femme fatale of the Far East. She also suggests the threat of the unknown. She may not be a lady of the night, per se – these cocktail dresses and hypnotic gowns are far too classy for that – but she does indulge in the mystery that comes with midnight.
The palette is equally saucy: almost strictly red and black, the show kicked off with an explosion of fiery goat hair and finished with even more theatrics. A series of high-drama gowns closed the show with splashes of bright crimson. You expect red carpet looks from Reem, but don’t expect just another pretty gown here: these are edgy. Naturally, the furs are not to be missed. Long-hair furs are massive and decadent, and the fur trim proved the just-right touch. It’s more about danger, less about sweet, old-fashioned romance, but this is a well-balanced (if consciously narrow) collection. All the slits are countered with slouch; there was never a moment of “too much” anything. Unless, of course, you count glamour.
