The latest stop on Philippe Piaubert’s world tour is Mexico, with its lush landscapes and postmodern architecture. Luis Barragán’s colorful block-like buildings were one source of inspiration, as was the Chablé Yucatán resort and its combination of natural landscapes and contemporary architecture.
Earthy textures leaped out, urging to be touched, on light bouclé bermuda suits and garment-dyed jacquard camouflage gear in dusty pink. There were collarless, three-quarter-length sleeve suit jackets that gave a contemporary spin to the tailored silhouettes, and there was barely a logo in sight.
The label’s easy-wear jackets were boxy this season, infusing a casual feel to the collection, and many were paired with matching shorts instead of pants for those dreaming of warmer climes than Paris this damp Midsummer’s Day — although Piaubert had that covered, too, with a pixelated jungle-print hooded raincoat and oversize trenchcoats.
Ungaro’s signature floral print shirts were worked in a panoply of ways, from floral cotton designs to fun bright linens where chili peppers spiced up the lush foliage. In blurred brights, another shirt played on the polka dot, one of the house’s signatures, with a ’60s spin. Many of the prints were declined on swimming shorts, too, accentuating the notion that this was a lineup for days in the sun.
The luxuriance also extended the eveningwear proposition, with a deep forest green tuxedo jacket with a wide shawl collar, for instance, or with sequin motifs evocative of vegetation.