If everyone who got lost in the forest in gentle reverie ended up looking like this—a fairytale of a knitted and outerwear story told by Prabal Gurung—every ending would be a happy one. The designer cued up his fall runway with an Instagram feed peppered with poetry by Lord Byron, Henry Rousseau paintings of corseted women in exotic forests, Aspen trees and dreamy forest photography by Ellie Davis. But make no mistake: Gurung’s clothes were very much grounded in reality. Albeit a luxurious, pricey one.

Gurung didn’t hold back on the high-end touches and finishes, taking his furs and knits to new levels of colour, texture and dimension. Patterned sweater dresses in blues and creams were layered over lacy skirts and under patterned furs with nonchalance. Which was key here, or the whole thing would have been too stuffy.

Leather, suede and pony skin was worked into body-skimming (not clinging) v-neck dresses and tops and wrap skirts, while fawn-printed pleated dresses oozed innocence and naivety in the best way. The coats and outerwear were wonderful from start to finish, one the best being an update on the classic camel topper. This one came with braided trim and belled sleeves.

Where some of the spliced patterns got lost, a delicate feather print (also done as a texture) hit the right feminine note in covered up dresses with tiny buttons at the sleeve and up the side. Gurung employed snap closures up the side, too, of skinny pants.

Gilded leaves floated down a black dress and across a white version, with a sliver of skin showing at an unbuttoned opening at the waist. As if this Snow White sprite had awakened from much needed beauty rest and is returning home.

From: Harper’s BAZAAR US