Nina Ricci Pre-Fall 2021

Creating clothes in virtual times poses a unique challenge for fashion designers: how to make outfits that pop on the screen, but also look great on the body. Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter took a crack at squaring the circle with their pre-fall collection for Nina Ricci, which was all sharp lines and bold colorblocking.

They opted for a total-look approach, with graphic coats and matching tops and bottoms designed to take the headache out of getting dressed. Panels of fluorescent yellow, lime green and electric blue popped against tailoring fabrics, some in graphic hound’s tooth and Prince of Wales checks.

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Botter said the clean cuts and bold volumes were inspired by the colorful oversize cloche hats the duo have made a signature since arriving at the French fashion house in 2018. But it was equally important for their crisp blazers and cocoon-shaped coats to cry out from the hanger.

“It needs to have this structured-ness that we can play with, but still the softness that pleases the body,” summed up Herrebrugh. In decluttering the Ricci wardrobe, the designers sacrificed some of the whimsy of their earlier designs, but gained in clarity. In an era swamped with digital images, that focus should serve them well.

Launch Gallery: Nina Ricci Pre-Fall 2021

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