Vivetta Ponti found inspiration in the everyday with a sweet, and slightly surreal, collection drawn from the home, such as embroidery on a tablecloth, curtains, doilies and pillows.
While some designers, such as Alexandre Mattiussi and Edeline Lee, create chic clothes for everyday life — walking the dog, taking the kids to school and going to work — Ponti did things the other way around, turning everyday life into clothes.
Swingy flower-print skirts were edged with fringes, like lampshades, while a pink ruched slipdress resembled curtains. White lace crept around the collar and sleeves of a black blouse, while a ruffle-edged pillow morphed into a top with the words “Sweet Dreams” written in script on the front.
They were gimmicky — but there was so much more here. Ponti’s embroideries were beautiful. Sprigs of snowy flowers and green leaves adorned the edges of an oversize white cotton shirt, and blossomed on a matching skirt.
Those same flowers and leaves sparkled on the front of wide-leg jeans, which Ponti teamed with green silk bow-front slippers.
A lacy white minidress with puff sleeves had a youthful kick, as did a shapely chalk stripe jacket, worn with ropes of pearls. Those long pearl strands also came as belts, and the models who wore them looked like little girls playing dress-up.
There were little girls in the show, too, modeling the new Vivetta Kids collection the designer is doing in collaboration with Nanán, an Italian company that specializes in high-end childrenswear.
Wearing flowered dresses, or little pink cloqué skirt suits that resembled those of the older models, they were all smiles in their grown-up clothes.