A little travel will do anyone good. For Pamella Roland, a Tokyo inspiration proved a fine antidote to some of the excesses seen on her runway last season, as she embraced pastels, cleaner lines, and hints of kimono styling. Roland traded in sequins for simple satin twill, and clingy silhouettes for a somewhat easier elegance. Materials were deployed pretty nicely all around, from an unusual and exquisite cobwebby lace that recalled the delicacy of washi paper, to rumpled metallic organzas hand-painted with koi fish. Waists were accentuated with ornate knots in an echo of traditional mizuhiki techniques.
Roland is a doyenne of red-carpet dressing, and eveningwear is a vital element of her brand, but she turned out some good separates here, too, from a boxy leather tee in pale orchid to a taupe lambskin vest with a froth of hand-painted cherry blossoms descending one shoulder. An offering like this should certainly build momentum for Roland’s soon-to-launch bridal range—especially the fil coupe wedding gown that closed the show.