Count Christian Wijnants among those who believe that warm, earthy hues from sand to mocha and chocolate belong to spring. Having studied the iconic portrait series of “the gentlemen of Bamako” by the late Malian photographer, Seydou Keïta, the designer decided to focus “sophistication and quiet intimacy.” That meant prioritizing shape and technique over color, and giving himself the time to unpick ideas from unexpected sources—a woven straw tapestry spotted in a Thai restaurant in Antwerp, for example — to produce statement pieces like a hand-knotted halter in organza with long trailing fringe. Another, the long, black hand-knitted number that closed this presentation, took three weeks to craft; even the designer’s mother pitched in by making the midsection.
Time-intensive as those artisanal pieces were, they hit the mark for their lightness and effortless feel. So, too, did easy shapes that Wijnants called his “pillow pieces.” “I love what the pillow represents,” he said. “I like how in the morning you can cuddle yourself in a pillow.” That idea returned in a handful of breezy dresses devoid of further embellishment save for a cascading panel, an asymmetrical gathering or a turned-down detail. The designer also delivered no-nonsense tailoring cut to menswear codes: easy vests, double-breasted jackets and well-cut trousers mingled with more feminine one-and-done tops and dresses in organza pieced together with horizontal constructions. The velvety aspect of a cedar melange linen added to a sophisticated yet lived-in allure. Save for those handknits and a bib blouse here and there, most of these pieces offered plenty of coverage with just a flash of skin. “It’s about showing some things, but not everything,” the designer said.
Wijnants is also known for color and prints, but this season he kept the touches light with icy pink, maybe some mint, and a leopard print that, on the runway, subtly morphed from animalistic to more floral expressions. In all, it was a serene collection with solid options for facing a world that is anything but.