From one season to the next, Julie de Libran builds upon her own repertoire with pieces that feel inherently chic. Whether based on her own experience or from conversations with close friends and clients, she understands how women want to dress for an event in something distinctive and special without appearing ostentatious. This afternoon, this took shape as a relaxed suit that resembled tweed but was actually textured denim, to which de Libran added pearl baubles as trim. Or as a champagne column dress, tiered and pleated for a soigné silhouette. Since she continues to source fabrics in limited quantity or from deadstock, she often ends up with enough for a single garment; see the yellow skirt with a hand-woven lustrous motif, a jacquard from Italy, that she paired with a peplum-edged bodice. The same heart-shaped necklace also defined the first official Julie de Libran bridal creation, which had a full skirt and bow at the back so that it gave Parisian fairytale wedding circa 1950s in the key of today.
There’s something pleasing to the way de Libran leans into codes of couture from eras past while also tapping into contemporary stylings such as adding delicate incrustations of lace to a slinky mesh lingerie dress and topping this with a bourgeois jacket. She deftly puts her own spin on feminine-masculine archetypes—the bohemian dress, the pajama ensemble, the tux—with each execution attesting to her exacting eye.
The show took place once again at her Left Bank home, where hedges of fresh jasmine naturally perfumed the space in that intoxicating way that only jasmine can. Libran said the collection revolved around the confluence of nature and love. “Nature allows you to breathe and we all just need to breathe and take in beauty,” she explained, her earnestness ringing true.
Beyond this variety of looks were slim envelope bags on fine chains and vintage-style jewelry that serve as additional entry points into her brand. That she does all this through ateliers across France and Italy in an entirely autonomous way adds to the appeal of wearing and collecting her clothes. Just think of that moment when someone asks the designer of an outfit and the answer, “Julie de Libran,” is delivered with a certain pride.
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