Vanessa Bruno Spring 2014: A Delightful 90s Throwback

Invoking Sonic Youth as your inspirational statement is a bold move for any designer, especially a French one. But if the current mood for Nineties alt-retro holds for another season, Vanessa Bruno’s Spring 2014 collection will be right on trend. She likened her bright and fun mixed prints as the visual counterpart to the band’s sound. Anyone inspired by lead singer Kim Gordon is a step ahead in my book.

The butterfly print that started the show did take me back to the 90s and their modern-for-the-time take on hippie culture mixed with grunge and pop influences. The way Bruno took on the crop top was very 90s Clueless and Empire Records inspired as well. Much more  of a throwback than many designers’ tight, body-conscious interpretations of the trend. Perhaps I’m just more comfortable with it having lived through the original.

Poppy-print trench coats had a distinctly French flavor, especially when paired with gamine skirts. Stripes mixed with checks, there were overall dresses and an orange biker jacket paired with a floaty blue mini printed with two layers of floral. There was something new to look at and examine and discover in every look which was really refreshing. Those flirty skirts are going to be a must-have come spring.

I can’t say that Bruno’s take on 90s silhouettes was entirely retooled or modernized, but that’s not a criticism. There really was something comfortable about such a literal throwback, and the visual interest in color and print kept anything from being boring or has-been. This was a fun collection worth a look from real shoppers next summer.

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