For several seasons, Valentin Yudashkin has shown his collections in the ornate Salon Impérial at the Westin Hotel, mere steps from the Tuileries with its beautiful flower parterres. So when he cited French gardens as his latest point of departure, it was almost as if he were looking to his own grand backyard. As inspirations go, it was a loose one, although a keen eye might detect a resemblance between the golden tracery embellishments on his final gowns and the filigreed gates that hem in châteaus around France. Hydrangeas, Yudashkin's favorite flower, appeared as his own hand-painted watercolor print, as fragile openwork, and as encrusted dimensional clusters and branches.
The real news, though, was in Yudashkin's movement toward daywear that showed a lighter approach than usual. Against a tight backdrop of white and pastels, he showed flounced skirts like upside-down flower heads, and well-proportioned Spring suiting (the peony bolero with high-waist languid trousers was a standout look). Sport elements were handled with polish, from a tulip-shaped shift dress in a spongy tech fabric to a white lace bomber. A relaxed drawstring linen dress with pouch pockets teased at Yudashkin's willingness to think like a minimalist; it was serene in its simplicity and a welcome surprise. Granted, the success of these comparatively streamlined looks doesn't cancel out the fact that Yudashkin is obstinately attached to his fairy-tale designs. But then, what are French gardens if not fairy tales?
