Temperley London

NEW YORK, February 6, 2007
By Meenal Mistry
¿Beauty in exile,¿ said Alice Temperley before her show. ¿It¿s all about the Russian emigration to Paris after the Revolution.¿

Following a plain-Jane Spring showing, the invocation of Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes for Fall must have been sweet music to the ears of her steadfast fans. They¿re an international clique of girls who plunk down the plastic for her boho, ultrafeminine fare even in seasons when minimalism otherwise rules, and they¿ll likely love the crafty passementerie on the new blouses and dresses.

Shaking off her reputation for being solely a frock star, Temperley ventured further into more structured pieces: lean Victorian jackets, wide trousers, and tulip skirts. Tailoring isn¿t exactly her bag, but the jackets—especially a pintucked Le Smoking—were very worthy of attention. The ornate Byzantine headpieces were not: Such a costumey touch felt out of place in a line that is much more about wearability than grand gesture.