Nina Ricci Resort 2015 Collection

Peter Copping considers his seasonal ethos “a catalyst to get the creative process moving” rather than a strict aesthetic mandate. That enabled him to take inspiration from National Geographic’s three-volume set of books chronicling 125 years of photographs for the Nina Ricci woman, who hardly qualifies as an outdoorsy type.

“I cherry picked from different cultures and applied them to what we do,” said Copping, who divined pretty, Parisian romance from references that spanned the globe, Caribbean school girls, African tribal paint, American sportswear and Mexican tablecloths.

Daywear has grown in importance to the house, and Copping addressed it by romancing practicality. Short skirts were spliced with wildflower prints and lace panels; a short, blue poplin dress with rolled-up sleeves and a skirt in easy pleats would work seven days a week, and white lace overalls were proposed as a day evening hybrid. There was also purebred evening wear, gowns in all their glory, such as the long, lean black lace dress with cap sleeves trimmed with pearl fringe for a delicate artisanal touch.