Let’s start near the end: an army-green mac thrown over powder-pink satin in the form of a lady’s blouse and loose, low-crotch trousers, followed by the sweetest of finale dresses spilling silk crocus buds down the front. This looked fresh and interesting for a man who likes the sucking-in and curving-out of voluptuous, polished tailoring, and it was a shame not to have seen more of the former, because when Berardi is on “delicate” form, few can touch him, such is his eye for detail. He also does the aforementioned curvy tailoring with aplomb, but perhaps we’re not feeling so va-va-voom at the moment, because, while beautiful, the front section of white and black tailored, panelled, body-con pieces didn’t stir us as much this season. The looser he got, the better it looked, whether it was a casual white/cream tuxedo or a floaty grey chiffon mac or a frosted silver jacket over romantic nude chiffon. Maybe what was being highlighted here was the dilemma faced by designers with established businesses: please the loyal customer or please the press.
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