A few seasons into his tenure at Nina Ricci, and Guillaume Henry continues to look for that sweet spot between the house code’s and his own identity. Fall was a step in the right direction. Calling out Romy Schneider, his muse from last spring, for inspiration, he sent out a collection full of smart separates and lingerie details.

Henry’s story is about a woman at night. Whether she’s coming or going is open to interpretation in the extra-large leather coats, felt toppers and luxe trenches that were layered over sequinned slipdresses and silky cropped pants.

Where in seasons past, he has ignored the house’s history with lingerie, he smartly incorporated it into the lineup via lacy blouses and lace-and-velvet dresses in deep colours. These were more successful than lacy dresses that were a good idea but could have used some more fit.

Henry left sleeves extra long, a provocative detail considering pulling her sleeves over hands is something a girl who’s nervous or unsure. But it also happens when she’s wearing her lover’s coat. But the colour combinations were interesting—lavender and olive drab, moss and steel blue, nude and darker nude.

The best looks were the ones that suggested—a sequinned olive dress with a low-enough neckline to afford a hint of lavender bra, relaxed suits worn with skin-tone silk tops or extra roomy peacoats worn with nothing (or perhaps something) underneath.

From: Harper’s BAZAAR US