Carven Spring 2014: A Country/City Mash-Up

When we think Carven, we think of a couple key words and phrases: “cool,” “modern adult schoolgirl,” “Alexa Chung bait.” Spring at Guillaume Henry’s Carven was no different. There were a few main focuses in this print-heavy collection, namely camouflage (as filtered through a few different surprising colorways), gingham and ditzy florals. There was a kind of country/city mash-up vibe, with appliques and ankle-skimming skirt lengths to recall life in the wilderness, camo button-up looks to suggest an urban warrior. The camo looks—in riffs off hot pink and minty green, decorating pencils skirts, jackets and neat dresses—are made extra-special with inventive mesh inlay and strategic cut-outs. The mesh cut-out pattern repeated on an all-black shirt is a nice homage to the print without being overt.

The gingham pieces were mostly floaty and carefree, even on a more structured silhouette. Borderline country-Western, these were patchwork black-and-gingham looks, on jackets and cute little blouses. The black lace chokers that completed every look were a bit much but also kind of rad—and a hint at the duo of 90s-esque pastel dress/transparent cardigans that appeared mid-show. The pieces with a lot of sheen (satiny jackets short and long, in black, light cranberry and champagne) felt a little out of place, but when we find ourselves craving a lace camouflage dress, we tend to forgive the trespasses.