In fashion parlance, a Zimmermann show is what you might call a no-brainer: that’s to say, you can rely on the brand to deliver the kind of romantic dresses and colorful prints that are guaranteed to make a woman feel good.
No doubt that’s why the Australian label is a magnet for A-listers. On Monday, Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Chastain, Naomi Watts, Lily James and Leila George, who plays Kelly Klein on “Love Story,” flocked to the Carreau du Temple to take in Nicky Zimmermann’s fall show.
Watching that lineup of powerful women was a perfect set-up for the collection, which was inspired by trailblazing females of the 1920s, including the designer’s own grandmother.
“She was a lifesaver. She was young, but women weren’t allowed to be lifesavers in the ’20s,” she said in a preview. “People weren’t happy about it.”
Zimmermann headed to the Australian Museum, where she unearthed a trove of black-and-white images of some others of the era’s pioneers: Kathleen Howell and Jean Robertson, who drove across Australia, sitting on the back of a car, lighting each other’s cigarettes, or Miles Franklin, the author of the feminist classic “My Brilliant Career.”
“They were badass,” Zimmermann marveled.
That intrepid spirit fed into the collection, which balanced the brand’s signature rippling gowns with a terrific array of daytime options, from belted jumpsuits in crisp cotton drill or supple leather, to aviator-style jackets, draped denim pants and Zimmermann’s spin on cricket whites: an oversize cable-knit sweater worn with breezy striped culottes.
Tailoring came spliced with panels of lingerie lace, while evening gowns had an Art Deco flavor, with stitched velvet bodices or graphic chevron stripes. Silk foulards, printed with aviation and sporting scenes, were knotted together into fluttering tops and skirts, while fringed men’s scarves were spliced into a colorful caftan.
Among the standout prints this season were Art Nouveau swirls, burnt into flowing silks, and velvet dévoré peacock feathers, which swirled down a tent dress.
Zimmermann has been steadily expanding into new categories, and this season offered its most complete assortment to date. It should satisfy fans of the label’s boho glamour, while bringing new fans into the mix — because these days, a woman has the luxury of choice.