Chances are, you already have clothes in your wardrobe that resemble what appeared on the latest Paul & Joe runway: some combination of Peter Pan-collar shirt, striped sweater, boyfriend jeans, velvet pants, LBD. Familiar as they might have been, those pieces didn't create a sense of déjà vu here.
Sophie Mechaly mentioned that she now has a Brit among her creative team, whom she credited for a certain Anglo influence - all those blurry tartan silks and dressy Docs - that may not have been instinctive to the Parisian designer. Evidently, they agreed on ruffles as a running theme; nary a garment got through without one. With no purpose other than to reaffirm Paul & Joe's ingenue-with-edge attitude, they appeared on pants pockets, along shirt plackets, around hemlines and necklines, and encircling cuffs. Even when they seemed arbitrary, they served as a crisp finishing touch.
Elsewhere, striped sequin tank dresses and collars of Swiss lace reinforced Mechaly's pursuit of special-occasion detailing. While the collection included pieces for women who would rather not reveal their age (a plaid double-breasted coat, velvet evening suiting), it skewed particularly young. On the plus side, Mechaly would be giving these girls a fresh alternative to played-out athleisure.(style.com)