Rochas Womenswear SS13

Rochas under Marco Zanini’s tenure has come to be known for wit and cheek-infused ladylike pieces done with the mark of a loving craftsmen. Zanini has done some lovely story telling in the past taking us through his favourite seminal films and artists. For Spring/Summer, Zanini hit the road in California and came back with a headful of uplifting songs such as The Beach Boys' 'Don't Worry Baby', which coursed through the show. This carefree and light spirit also bounced off the collection, as it was filled with fondant-coloured Zanini-isms such as slip dresses, twinsets and trailing skirts – all done in the palest of pinks, mints and lilacs and finest silk taffetas and duchessed satins. Later on black and cherry red vamped up the collection. If those items read saccharine and feminine, as they trailed down the runway, supported by silk visors and contrasted with white leather boxing boots, there was still that pleasingly strange undertone which makes Zanini's work so lovely to decipher.

You can tell Zanini has a lot of fun playing around with the mid-century couture shapes that have underscored his work for the house from the very beginning as well as taking note of Rochas' history for creating items that meant women could move with ease as well as elegance. This collection gave impetus to just merely take in the surface of things without too much in-depth analysis, as show goers soaked up the sweet mini polo dresses in silk faile, the cropped buttoned up shirts revealing a peek-a-boo band of flesh and the billowing capes and draped stoles that harked back to another era yet still managed to feel modern.