Initial reaction:

A palate cleansing slate to welcome in the new creative director duo at Carven – Alexis Martial, formerly of Iceberg and Adrien Caillaudaud, who used to work for Givenchy were former fashion school mates. Martial only started on Monday – following his departure from Iceberg – but signature items like a high-waisted sharply cut jodhpur trouser have already started to infiltrate, as the Carven girl gets a sporty kick. Sharp mod-ish mini skirts, slick eel skin coats and cleanly cropped bombers added an edge to the bon ton looks of the Parisienne girl chez Carven. Towards the end she loosened up a bit, in an abstract dotted draped top with criss-cross smocking on the front.  

How it was worn:

Giant jet black disc necklaces inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s Weather Project at the Tate Modern punctuated the collection and served as a refreshed take on the amulet necklace. Thin buckled belts emphasised the nipped in precision that Martial and Caillaudaud are bringing to the Carven table.  

Spring cleaning:

Florals for spring may be commonplace but here, as Japanese-inspired kimono silk prints and texturised metallic jacquards took over towards the end, it felt like the duo had reinstated the Carven girl’s penchant for the cute ’n’ sassy.