It’s undress to impress for Antonio Berardi’s show of sexiness

Laura Craik
21 Sep 2009

She's got legs — she knows how to use them. ZZ Top's paean to shapely pins should have been the soundtrack to Antonio Berardi's high-octane show, which featured miles of leg, acres of cleavage and more va-va-voom than seemed decent for a Sunday.

His show at St Mark's church, Mayfair, yesterday was an unholy spectacle of sexiness. Showing in London for the first time in 10 years after stints in Milan and Paris, Berardi, who studied fashion at Central Saint Martins, did not disappoint.

His fans, who include Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anna Friel, are sure to embrace his latest foray into dresses as foreplay, even though regular customers might feel compelled to reach in desperation for the nearest pair of Spanx. Berardi has long pioneered the short, sharp, body-conscious dress that is finding so much favour with almost every designer, and in his spring collection, he served these up in ultra-sexy form. In tones of nude and cream, accented with black, the overall impression was that the models were in a state of undress.

Transparent silk gazar was overlaid with panels and piping to evoke the lines of knickers and suspenders. Dresses were strapless, with bustier bodices or corsets with thick laces snaking up their backs. Some were embellished with densely packed black crystals for a reptilian look.

Others were simpler, with sweetheart necklines and cap sleeves. Some came gently padded at the hip, providing hourglass curves.

There were looser touches, such as a series of beautifully cut jackets in kingfisher blue or tomato red silk, their undulating folds and drapes conjuring kimonos. These were worn with matching tapered trousers and vest tops underneath.

There was also a Japanese influence at play in the origami-like folds at the waist of a cream pencil skirt, or in the handkerchief draping on a red silk cocktail dress. Elsewhere, embroidered French lace was overlaid on to a pleated games skirt or draped over the shoulders as a piano shawl.

Backstage Berardi said: “I've never been more nervous in my life. I was nervous about the expectation, nervous of how the show would be received, and nervous about being the old git on a schedule of hot young designers.” Berardi's reaction was the only modest thing about this provocative show.