Narciso Rodriguez Pre-Fall 2018

For pre-fall, Narciso Rodriguez offered no romantic jargon about his inspiration, only that he worked from instinct, seeking to focus on “very detailed cuts and beautiful materials, and edit down to the best [of everything].” He also sought to deliver a new take on timelessness. “Usually, we think of a timeless wardrobe as things that endure,” Rodriguez said. “Timeless can also mean clothes that work for day, evening, weekend.”

Polish is at the heart of Rodriguez’s aesthetic. So, too, is perfection of cut, a combination that veers toward the dressed-up side of daywear. Impeccable tailoring is an essential tenet, the silhouettes at once complicated and devoid of anything that hits the eye as superfluous. Here, Rodriguez worked with asymmetry: a one-shoulder top curving diagonally atop matching trousers; a white duchess top, also one shoulder and with a dramatic flyaway back, worn over black trousers for what he referred to as a new take on the tuxedo.

While Rodriguez’s look book focuses on neutrals — he’s always loved them, always will — he is in fact a deft colorist, with a particular yen for lush, organic oranges and reds. Here they showed up in fabulous dresses, an ultrachic if unforgiving russet tank buttoned down the front, and a jewel-neck beauty in maroon jersey. Gentler, yet no less soigne.

Launch Gallery: Narciso Rodriguez Pre-Fall 2018

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