RICHARD Lewis uses the colours of silk saris for a collection of full trench coats, narrow trousers, saucy laced up bustiers, and white crepe de chine pirate shirts. He showed his spring collection in the Solomon Gallery, Powerscourt Centre, Dublin, yesterday.
There were also short "empire" dresses with matching coats. The shapes may be simple, even classic, but those colours - the China blues, citrus yellows, jades, peaches and, most stunning of all, flame - suggested something new and exciting.
Could his clients really tackle the "costume" - neat jacket and skirt - or the hipster trousers, especially with the lace up tops, in any of the colours? You bet they could is the answer to that one.
Not that Lewis is foolish enough to abandon the old favourites - like navy, in mall jersey, which forms an evening section, and includes some delicate hand beading around the high necks of body skimming long dresses utterly understated and seductive.
This is the kind of thing Lewis is associated with, but he has always been good on colour, mixing it in imaginative and unexpected ways.
And it is in colour that the main story lies.
The trench coat - sometimes long, sometimes short, always belted in heavy herringbone silk is an important part of this collection. He sees it being worn with tight trousers, or short dresses, looking easy - even casual - in a dashing kind of way. It has comfort and style.
Silk has become popular this season, more favoured than linen. Once thought of as dressy, it is now being used for all kinds of dressing, and is perfect for Richard Lewis's low key glamorous clothes.
All the silk of Samarkand seems to have gone into this collection, and all the colours of an Indian bazaar.
Dresses are £290, trousers £160, blouses £240, and skirts £120.
All are available from the designer's studio in 22 South Frederick Street, Dublin.