Marchesa 2017 Pre Fall Collection

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig chose an appropriate starting point for their lush, opulent eveningwear at Marchesa the Fabergé egg. Drawing from the splendor of imperial Russia’s most treasured and bejeweled heirloom, the duo incorporated metallic baroque embroidery, floral-printed brocade and intricate beading into their lineup of gowns and cocktail numbers. “We tried to be quite commercially minded, and we’ve gone more heavily into separates,” noted Chapman during a walk-through, motioning to a pair of lace peplum blouses in black and fuchsia, the latter with a plunging V-neck and pencil skirt to match. A transparent nude column gown decorated with gold beading and layers of tiered fringe further invoked the lavish theme.

Most notable was Chapman and Craig’s use of printed lace layered visibly beneath sheer tulle, which created dimension on a romantic blush gown with shirred ruffles and quarter-length blouson sleeves. Another highlight for cocktail hour: a white crepe mermaid dress with a gold beaded bustier top and a flirty, flared hemline.