Blooms unfurled in stretched silk and pleated chiffon, a chorus of colour in fuchsia and lime green shades that evoked a tropical garden in the heat of summer. Petals adorned shoulders as epaulettes, necklines as wreaths, climbed slits in thigh-skimming skirts and peeked out from tops.
There was a unbridled sensuality, a sense of performance in Emilio de la Morena's Spring/Summer offering. Valencian couture informed exaggerated shapes, their silhouettes more striking on structured jackets. Peplums on cocktail dresses felt a romantic reference toward traditional dress. The narrative of his Spanish heritage was written into flamenco folds and polka dots - a popular print of the 'traje de lunares', now reimagined in monochrome and sheers. Necklines evinced slipped shawls, hugged close to shoulders whilst revealing delicate, sensual skin.
Leitmotifs of florals and flamenco formed a cohesive narrative throughout, the message more vibrant in his striking colour palette and with layered, decorative effects. Stand out looks were sculptural experimentations in fabric: lace bicycle shorts under billowing pleats of polka-dot prints; cocktail dresses with dropped, exaggerated sleeves that felt the right combination of tailored and flamboyant - a fitting theme for this daring collection.
