The Chiara Boni La Petite Robe SS20 runway show opened with a song and ended with a twirl.
The energetic show kicked off with legendary supermodel mother-daughter duo Pat and Anna Cleveland lip-syncing Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” both sporting cowboy hats and gowns. The theatrical duet set the tone for the covetable collection, a perfect mix of extravagance and ingenious wearability.
Models Pat (left) and Anna Cleveland
Inspired by the story of the Queen of Hearts, Boni crafted an elegant array of dresses and textured tailored suits with nods to exotic far off destinations. The Queen of Hearts returns to New York to regale her fans of tales from her travels, as the collection brochure explains: Africa is represented by a magnified wild animal patterns, including leopard prints to tiger stripes; an Eastern adventure brings paisley and Malaysian ikat, and lastly, our Queen voyages to Mexico where she spots multicolored butterflies.
Most ensembles were paired with cowboy hats or scarves, prompting different reactions: the Urban Cowgirl, the Mod Cowgirl, even the Cannes Cowgirl. Westworld-ian piano music set the tone for the fantastical show, a piece of theater while displaying Boni’s latest masterpieces.
Guests like Wendy Williams, Kerry Kennedy, Cara Kennedy Cuomo, and Caroline Vreeland added an A-list element to the front row, looking on as the expansive collection continued through its international journey. A plus size model behind me gleamed that Boni just “knows how to fit a woman”; Boni’s artful fabric choices and tailoring hug curves in the right places, making anyone feel like the garment was made just for them.
An off-the-shoulder black and white gown proved to be a standout look, as well as the ikat print in an array of silhouettes and colors spanning neon green to a soft orange. The paisley, best in a cobalt suit, fit perfectly with the theme while still remaining fresh.
Pat and Anna Cleveland later also sashayed down the runway again, large smiles and laughs playing to the audience’s excitement, before supermodel Maria Borges stunned with the finale piece, an oversized monarch butterfly gown crowned by a large set of wings. The audience immediately rose for applause, the standing ovation embodying the fun experience of the showcase for an amazing new collection.
We can’t wait to see where Chiara Boni La Petite Robe travels too again.
