It was party season when I visited Roland Mouret’s Clerkenwell studio – and looking at the racks of clothes displaying his Pre-Fall collection, the mood was definitely that of the festive Chez Mouret. Earlier in December, at the Fashion Awards, one of the designer’s carefully cut black velvet gowns was worn by Issa Rae, who won one of the night’s major trophies; And there were more crystals and sequins hanging from the railing than you could shake a stick at, radiating an air of confidence and glamor on the part of both Mouret and any future wearers. “It has to have a cool attitude, but not in your face,” Mouret said firmly.
While Mouret always begins the design process through fitting and draping on a mannequin (as opposed to a mood board or the like) he acknowledged an unusually specific source of inspiration this season in the form of Tamara de Lempicka. The Art Deco painter’s turbo-charged paintings of sleek, glamorous women were inspired by the bold diagonals of a paneled mini dress, or the slight lift of a padded power shoulder on a jacket, or a dress with a structured neckline whose exaggerated proportions (lined with crystals, naturally ) reminded the wings of a bird in flight.
Yet Mouret knows how to indulge her more flamboyant side while staying within the bounds of good taste: To balance the collection’s more lavish moments, she kept in mind her enduring love of 20th-century American fashion – and more specifically, the minimalist spirit of the classic New York women’s wardrobe of the 90s. He added, “I love that kind of simplicity – simple lines, but with wonderful details.” Upon closer inspection, those details—the carefully placed pockets, the buckles at the waist of the dress, the carefully measured height of the thigh slit, or the perfect bounce of the crepe peplum—are as impressive as Moret’s dazzling diamonds and hot Jewel-toned colors were in this season.
Following the sale of his company to Self-Portrait’s Han Chong and the new popularity of his designs on the red carpet, Mourette has had A-listers from Kate Winslet to Amy Adams step out in his dresses over the past few years. Month. With the success of his brand under this new auspices, it seems he has finally given himself a moment to stop and reflect. “I started the brand in the last century!” Mouret said, laughing. “Technically, it’s true.” Thankfully, he is more energetic than ever. “I feel like I had a strong identity when I started, but I think it’s great that it’s still evolving from season to season. The world is changing a lot, and I want the Roland Mouret woman to keep up with it.”