This season, Tocca designer Emma Fletcher decided to forgo a traditional runway show in favor of an intimate presentation of the designs in her studio in Chelsea.  The space has a very romantic vibe; there are sparkling chandeliers and Tocca’s famous perfume bottles everywhere.

The collection itself was fairly small.  It was comprised of several exquisitely-made basics, some in solid colors and some in wild prints.  The line included wool coats, suits, silk jumpsuits, cap-sleeve flowy dresses and collared blouses.  The colors used were bright red, deep purple, bright blue, muted yellow and hot pink, but the prints were the true highlights.  Prints included gold tweed, houndstooth and a colorful mushroom print that inspired the collection.

“The children’s books [that inspired the collection] are Australian; there’s a series, and the prints came from this,” said Fletcher, “whimsical and trippy; everyone thinks they’re pot leaves. And the shapes are classic Tocca, our best silhouettes.”

When asked why she chose to hold a presentation rather than the traditional runway show, Fletcher said, “This is a far more wearable collection than in the past.  Tocca is going more direct to the consumer.  Our online presence is going to be bigger.  It’s nice to control a lookbook; shows are fantasy but this is more sellable and wearable.”

The standout pieces of the collection were certainly the coats and the jumpsuits; staple pieces for every women’s wardrobe.  They were beautifully crafted and very sophisticated.  The great thing about the presentation was that buyers and consumers could walk right up to the clothes and examine them for as long as they needed, something that is lost during fast-paced runway shows.  And while the presentation certainly didn’t have as much of an impact as a runway show may have, the clothes were strong enough to convey Fletcher’s inspiration without the fanfare.

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