PAT Crowley's latest collection, which was shown at the RHA Gallery this week, is something of a teaser.
Why are such simple clothes so terribly luxurious? Why is the black, long sleeved dinner dress perfect and the black wool crepe coat, with its deep velvet cuff's good enough to cause high voltage desire?
When it comes to giving a description of the collection, it's just about impossible because there is really no one thing there to mention. And yet these are beautiful clothes, the ones the discreet rich wear both here and in New York. Yes, she's got fans all over the place, and one of the reasons is that she isn't afraid of being feminine.
Feminine isn't fussy, it's stark. It isn't girlish it's a very grown up thing. And it isn't all that obvious.
This is why there is a great response to Pat Crowley's clothes. She catches that quality by using the finest fabrics lots of soft wools, velvets and lace with fox fur trimmings and a few appliques. And then she just goes for a natural line rather than forcing a shape that doesn't quite ring true. She knows her clients body if not soul and, of course, they keep coming back for more.
Naturally, a feminine collection shows little interest in trousers there are only four trouser suits and the whole emphasis is on long skirts worn with very softly tailored jackets with black velvet applique work (a hallmark here).
Yes, it is dead simple, but it's certainly not dead boring. What helps make it so wonderful are the fabrics their handle, feel, and ability to fit, or skim, the body. And then and only then comes the colour. There is a lot of black here, but also navy, lichen green, grey, brown, and sudden red flashes.
She likes new fabrics like a blue/ black rib, made of goodness knows what, but working well for a fitted jacket (£650) and matching skirt (£295). Put these with a black hand crochet top (Irish, of course, £385), and a black fox hat and scarf (borrowed from Bernardos), and simplicity takes on a whole, new meaning. It's a positive statement.
The suits, of which there are about a dozen in various wools, including a couple of tartans, are described as "all day into evening clothes. A lot of what she does takes a woman from one thing to another without her ever having to set foot back home". This, apparently, is a way of life very much in vogue in New York, and catching on here fast.
She does that sort of thing very well in a black empire dress with matching crepe coat (just add two rows of pearls on leaving the office). Or, going a little grander, she puts a "crushed" velvet coat, with paisley silk lining, over a black crepe trouser suit (just add the velvet scarf with the fox tails). Then there is the red chevron, peplum jacket, with its matching skirt (just add the black chenille sweater by Lainey Keogh, and the silver brooch by Linda Brunker) and it's off to anything any time.