PARIS - "Sometimes simple, sometimes powerful, but always balanced," said Barbara Bui of her restrained fall-winter 2013-14 show.
With this mantra, the French-Vietnamese designer delivered a clean collection that played on textures and transparencies in black and white — and a dash of London-style.
Commercially-minded Bui is not one to break any boundaries, and Thursday's show certainly didn't.
But some of the 30 looks did add a twist to her tried-and-tested formula of simple, balanced elegance.
One sheer lace top and its diaphanous train jarred nicely with a long black coat with angular, menswear tailoring.
Arm slits gave a lift to a series of classic saleable coats. And overwear was trimmed with wool that embellished arms like shaggy fur, popular in the '60s.
It was a nod to the rock 'n' rock of London, she said.
Fashion revelers could be seen tapping their feet to the swinging Beatles' soundtrack.
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Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
