MONIQUE LHUILLIER AUTUMN/WINTER 2015-16 READY-TO-WEAR NEW YORK

Monique Lhuillier made a name for herself designing couture bridal gowns and red-carpet dresses, so it was a surprise to not find any princess skirts or tulle in her Fall collection. The new silhouette was practically the opposite—slinky, curve-hugging, and cut on the bias. “It’s all about fluidity,” she explained. “There’s no corsetry at all this season. It’s about liberating this woman and keeping it closer to the body.” Far be it from Lhuillier to completely strip down, though. Copper burnout velvet, dense allover beading, and a camouflage-floral jacquard added glamour without the heft. In lieu of the circle skirts and neoprene she showed for Spring, Lhuillier added soft structure with padding at the shoulders. On the hanger there was a glimmer of an ’80s flashback, but when the first models stepped out on the runway, the effect was happily subtle.

Lhuillier said she was thinking about the ’20s when she started designing the collection, but the most interesting looks had a hint of ’70s glam rock. See the draped silk charmeuse dresses in teal, amethyst, and saffron; the jeweled black tights; the star-embroidered bodysuits layered under tailored coats; and a whole crop of colorful shearlings and mink chubbies. They didn’t really jell with the more ladylike dresses that opened the show, but when Lhuillier revealed her muse for the season—Kate Moss—it all made perfect sense.