by Connor Norton
Raquel Allegra, in her Fall 2016 presentation, entitled “Good Vibrations”, divorced herself from the muted, pale pastels of her previous collections for a more vibrant, playful aesthetic. Models, carefully positioned on road cases meant for storing stage equipment, nostalgically recalled the band groupies of the 80s and 90s. Silk, gauze, alpaca wool, chiffon, and surprisingly, velvet were just a few of the textiles employed to create Allegra’s signature oversized and billowy silhouettes. Missing from the fall collection was the designer’s trademark webbed cotton cocoon tees, however, Allegra’s classic use of tie-dye appeared in the collection as well as varying shades of burgundy, mustard yellow, heather gray, hot pink, deep purple, and royal blue.
Floral prints also surfaced in Allegra’s fall presentation; the most impressive look of the collection was a tie-dyed blue velvet blazer cordially called the “Bowie Blazer”, layered upon a grey-blue, silk charmeuse blouse paired with tie-dyed blue velvet flare trousers. This season marked a noteworthy transition from her previously soft and subdued collections towards a more whimsical and eccentric design aesthetic.
