February 08, 2014 New York
There was, for instance, the merest suggestion of argyle, in a sweater with a single diamond, and not a fluoro shade in sight. Instead of a riot of clashing color and pattern, there was head-to-toe monochrome—matching jacket, pants, shirt, trainers, and often, backpack—in classic Lacoste burgundy, or the greens of fairway and forest. Baptista's starting point was Chantaco, a golf course Lacoste's father-in-law designed in the 1920s in the Basque region of France. The colors of nature, obviously, but inspiration drawn as well from Chantaco's Art Deco clubhouse, in the style of which Baptista created striking angular graphics for the dressier pieces in the collection. The leanness and elongation of the womenswear also had a twenties flavor. But equally, the designer took a distinctive utilitarian approach with parkas, anoraks, multipocketed jackets, and pouched tops. These were practical all-weather clothes for outdoor games.
And yet there was something more, an elusive quality that hinted at the subtle pleasures of casual clothing beautifully realized. In that, you could almost see Baptista moving into the same row that Véronique Nichanian, say, has hoed so effectively at Hermès.