The term baroque conjures imagery of deep red, crushed velvet, and ornate jewel-toned beading. But for the Spring/Summer 2014 season, this heavily ornamented style is getting a dramatically softer makeover. Simone Rocha’s black velvet and white cotton boxy dresses received a baroque-inspired transformation, featuring pearl-lined trim. Oscar de la Renta’s simple white tees and 1940s-inspired, A-line skirts dotted with tiny pearl details look simply imperial, as do Blugirl’s silky, pearl-embellished shift dresses. Balmain and Alice + Olivia’s collections boast sportier, boxy jackets studded with pearls instead of traditional metal pyramid studs for the Spring/Summer 2014 season.
Accessories are by no means exempt from this trend, as we can see from the pearl-encrusted, cat-eye sunglasses from A-Morir. On the runways of Thakoon and Simone Rocha’s collections, pearls added dramatic impact, draping from purse handles and framing white, silk handbags. In jewelry, the massive pearl chokers from Chanel make an avant-garde statement in the same vein, whilethe modern, white enamel and pearl rings from Alice Cicolini impart a more modern edge.