Carven showed a quirky collection that, though slightly pedestrian, was actually constructed from very expensive materials; perhaps that is why the looks seemed more appealing to buyers than editors.

The silhouettes, especially the hem-lengths and peacoats, were a little more late 1960s than editors were looking for. Then again, they don’t pay for their clothes, so it shall be the clients who have the last say… as usual.

The new house designer, Guillaume Henry, credited the great Flemish painting master Hieronymus Bosch’s masterpiece, The Garden of Earthly Delights, for his inspiration. Amber shades may be the most literal parallel. (By the way, if you are not familiar with Bosch, think of him as a medieval psychedelic master storyteller: Wild Stuff!).

Henry must see the world through a happy lens because the surreal perversity of the painting was entirely missing here… this collection was filled with youth and optimism. You could see the influence of Mary Quant’s mini-hemline, and Nouvelle Vague films’ taste for wool peacoats. 

The few quirks came and went with the fur touches, especially the dyed/tinted nods. Cobalt-dyed mink and red-rinsed finnraccon completely change the material’s appearance and dislodge any pre-existing conceptions of retro fashion. At the end of the day the look was very period, but the choices of materials were very Fall 2012-Winter 2013.