Luisa and Lucilla Beccaria imbued their fall collectsion with the optimism of spring—think lilac, mauve, and every shade of green that ever flirted with a budding leaf. It wasn’t really “autumn is coming,” but they’re never been about strict seasonal codes. Scattered amid the flowing occasion dresses that have become their calling card there were daywear options just shy of ethereal—corduroy coats and trousers in a shade best described as “cookie-beige,” checkered wool robe-manteaux that whispered “Yes, I can inherit the country estate,” slim-fitting tweed coats with glinting sequins. There were also velvet sahariennes that seemed ready for a wintry weekend in Courchevel, or an après-ski aperitivo in Gstaad, or anywhere the Beccarias’ set prefers to freeze in haute frostbite chic.
Staged in the newly renovated Carlton Hotel, with the audience entertained over breakfast at small tables dressed in Beccaria’s own floral-printed linen, the show unfolded through pastel-washed salons where models drifted about like well-styled daydreams. Long swirling frocks and draped cocktail dresses arrived in velvet and wool lace, lending just enough winter gravitas to keep all that reverie from floating away entirely. For the finale, the models assembled before a lush wall of flowers and greenery, a tableau that framed the mother-and-daughter duo’s poetic repertoire, and its persuasive form of gentle charm.
