‘Armor’ might not be the first word one would use to describe Greta Constantine’s colorful spring collection, but that’s exactly what designer Kirk Pickersgill had in mind when creating a cheerful new collection of formalwear. “When you think of the word armor, you think of clothing that’s used to protect you,” he said. “But when women go out, what they wear is also the first thing they want people to see; it gives you that feeling of confidence.
His sculptural gowns are undoubtedly designed to stand out. Focusing on luxe materials—silks, satins, midi skirts—Pickersgill draws inspiration from the spring looks of glamorous figures like Diana Vreeland and Roxie Roker to create party-ready gowns. (Many of his clients buy his pieces for important celebrations.) “They’re amazing fashion icons,” Pickersgill says of his seasonal muses. “[Roxie] People used to wear clothes that had volume – not in a solid way, but in the amount of fabric used.
the designer’s goal was to create pieces that didn’t completely take up space literally The proportions are exaggerated. Take his strapless purple gown, for example, which had pleats at the knees to give it an hourglass shape. Or his black strapless dress with a sculptural wave neckline. The pieces had just the right amount of drama, but elsewhere Pickersgill couldn’t help but get carried away, like in his salmon pink tiered ruffled mini dress—a dress that could’ve been a modern Marie Antoinette.
His bright, lively colors work best with more sophisticated silhouettes, like a streamlined long-sleeved jumpsuit (in lemon yellow). The designer also played with texture, adding three-dimensional petals to jersey maxi dresses—either at the neckline or as embellishments. Floral? For spring? Maybe not groundbreaking, but they’re still very pretty.
