Rue du Mail

PARIS, September 30, 2009
By Nicole Phelps
Martine Sitbon's Spring show was a homecoming of sorts. Not only did she leave her traditional sixth-arrondissement venue for the space above her Rue du Mail store in the second, she also returned to what she likes to think of as her signature look: soft little dresses with hidden constructions that hold you in. The accent was definitely on the waist, but these were woman-friendly frocks, not so much corseted as gently curvy. A fire-engine red silk number with a draped and slit skirt struck a sexy note, as did a body-loving L.B.D. with a white beaded neckline that looked like angel's wings. A delicate, silvery white silk duster worn over a matching slipdress with a swirling appliqué down its front was more ethereal. Ditto the tank dresses in pale washes of watercolor pastels.

This was a narrowly focused, somewhat repetitive collection. It could've used some more looks along the lines of the gray blouson, racerback tank, and high-waisted cropped trousers that slinked out toward the end. But it wasn't all frocks. Sitbon also did some great-looking trenches that the girls wore buttoned to the throat and firmly cinched. Perfect for those days when your dresses are at the cleaners.

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february 10, 2010

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