Reem Acra spends a lot of time in Paris, and this season she was inspired by the draping and detailing mastered by mid-century couturiers. “I wanted to imagine that woman today,” the designer said backstage before the show. “What would she be wearing?”

Apparently, not very much. While Acra referred back to the era in silhouette—there were the full skirts of the 1950s, and the lean columns of the 1930s and ’40s—major cutouts and sheer insets left several of the models quite bare. For instance, an embroidered tulle halter dress showed as much torso as a bikini, and the top of a hand-pleated jersey gown formed a one-shoulder bandeau. Even the fit-and-flare cocktail dresses—which are typically less body conscious than a slinky gown—were cut ultra-narrow around the torso, with stripes of sheer inserts letting the skin peek through. Some of these provocative statements worked. Others looked virtually impossible to wear, even for the most toned bodies. A blush-colored jersey dress with a narrow knee-length skirt and plunging neckline hit the right note, though. It bared a lot without baring all.