London-based Alexander Lewis conjured up a subversive femininity for pre-fall, drawing on the idea of a complex Middle Eastern woman. Lewis imagined her as having “spent time on a kibbutz” then traveling in Mexico and on the Inca Trail before eventually “falling in love with a wealthy man in New York or London.”
That narrative translated into silhouettes that both concealed and revealed the body: a goldenrod, velvet maxiskirt paired with a long-sleeved, black velvet top that showed a sliver of midriff; a simple shift dress in a diaphanous red tulle embroidered with sequins resembling pomegranate seeds. “She’s pushing the boundaries when she can,” the designer said.
Lewis also wove symbols from the Jewish and Islamic worlds into pieces, such as a skirt done in a blue and silver jacquard inspired by the Star of David and a black sweater with the hand of Fatima embroidered in sequins. Bold, new-age amethyst and crystal jewelry, in collaboration with Californian jewelers Alex & Lee, nodded to South American influences in this eclectic lineup.
