Elegant simplicity for summer styles

Press, 8 September 1976, Page 16

Elegant simplicity for summer styles

By FELICITY PRICE From beach cover-ups to elegant, extravagant evening wear, the mood was one of simplicity at Beaths spring! and summer fashion preview (on Monday evening. ! Fabrics were generally (soft, flowing and crinkle-free, and the predominant colour was white —either solo or with one added colour such as red, blue, sharp green, yellow or black. Styles were unpretentious and easy, with an accent on simplicity. For beachwear, gone are the days of the towel used as a I wrap-around. It has been replaced by loose, swirling I cover-ups to protect the skin I from the sun and by colordinated. easily-shed skirts land hooded jackets, hiding ■the briefest, of bikinis and; the most clinging, backless! (swimsuits. I A red and white El Jay; :beach co-ordinate opened the; 'show, and several garments' ithat followed demonstrated! the predicted switch towards! |the cover-up on the beaches,: (which will be good news for swimmers who start the seaison without a healthy tan. RESORT WEAR I Clothes for the beach were! (only the beginning of the| (showing of resort wear —; (styles that have come all the! (way from the French Riviera! through the popular resorts, (of the world to the Pacific! (and New Zealand. (shable silky flowing dress in! I brown and natural shades.; ;The house of Windsmoorj | was represented in the im-| I ported fashions most, strikingly with two suits,! It was in the resort i

fashions that the exclusive; Vogue Overseas of Adelaide i label made its first appear- ; ance and it was as impresf sive here-as in all the classes ; of garments that were qshown. The swirling, circular cut diaphanous cover-up ■ added a splash of unusual , colour combinations and was - tremendously effective. Ultra'suede, which has i recently reached the New . Zealand market, received a j lot of attention in the showi ing, in coats, jackets, suits, trouser suits and skirts. A , particularly striking example , of the new washable fabric was in a white Ultrasuede , coat by El Jay, which was j worn over a tusser silk white shirtdress by Aurore. , . Another striking El Jay; ( garment shown was a Chris-! [■tian Dior ethnic design in .icerise cotton. Representing ’•the peasant look, it had a .(square-necked, back-buttoned J blouse with a tight-waisted Jskirt. , J Garments from the Ciao ; collection, imported from (New York, included two smart city navy dresses and . the prestigious Tricosa of Paris label was represented in a natural coloured linen coat worn over an uncru,(both in natural shades of ;|raw silk. ■ i Some of the most striking, • most beautifully cut and deiisigned dresses of the show ijcame from Frank Usher of :!London. His evening wear! (was both in the height of! ilfashion, yet unpretentious] . and simple in line. Among; -(the most impressive of his! (dresses was a pure white, : I long dress, with an accord- , lion-pleated skirt, fluted ;|sleeves and flattering neck-.

Mine; a three-piece dinner : and theatre length dress ini copper and blue, which was! slightly gathered from the! hip; and, the "piece de resis-( : Lance,” a two-piece long, ' dress and jacket in exquisite: '(creamy beige lace, with the skirt in three tiers of long: ' strips of lace. For the highly fashion, conscious women in the] audience, Beaths presented! the new London theatre-' dress length — just above) the ankle —in a silver grey knit dress with a matching jacket. A dramatic, unusual note to the parade was added by ' some selections from the designs of Colin Cole, an! Auckland designer. His combination of striking, boldly-1 ‘coloured fabrics and unusual designs, created largely for; i effect, caused quite a stir, although they are obviously ! designed for those with a taste for the unusual in i fashion and a liking for making a grand entrance. t