Rabih Kayrouz delivered a beautiful, beautiful collection for autumn-winter 2021. It’s a fine edit of timeless designs, that are both elegant and comfortable. “I’ve always wanted to make my work like uniforms,” he explained to Vogue. “I look at my work less as a fashion object than a design object. What’s good about design is that it lasts over time despite trends. It’s not just a spur-of-the-moment fashion impulse.” A graceful yet statuesque jacket structured shoulders comes in versatile, universally flattering iterations like black velvet  or tennis stripes. Likewise, the designer’s best-selling straight coat – which typically is worn open – is now engineered so that the wearer can button in a panel for more protection from the elements. In the same spirit, Kayrouz revisited his idea archive for “gesture” pieces, spanning a gold lamé bustier dress that coaxes glamour out of a single square of fabric, a poncho-like trench anchored simply by its cuffs, and a skirt that evokes a sarong with a couture touch. Fluid numbers include dresses in an ink-blot print that resembles the season’s omnipresent leopard print without going literal; lavaliere blouses with tails trailing behind; and haute takes on the shirtdress. The collection reflects Maison Rabih Kayrouz’s stance that it’s the wearer who “makes” the clothes.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.