Special day purists will fawn over the designer’s signature ivory lace offerings, like the sleeveless, plunging V-neck gown with scallop detailing and a more demure long-sleeved version. But it’s when Biljana has pushed the envelope of conventional evening wear that she reminds us why she’s been the reigning designer for years. “I’m trying to push women in a different direction,” she said. The most avant-garde will appreciate the cutaway dress with three-quarter sleeves embellished with sheared-tulle flowers, pearls, and a tuxedo cape, which looked like something Cate Blanchett might wear on an upcoming red carpet.
Biljana’s hope is that by presenting a new, global perspective on gowns, the tides will shift away from sweetheart necklines and mermaid hems. “There are many flowers in this room,” she said, “and there are different essentials. But in the end, in every single context, we’ve pushed that vocabulary further.” Of course, she included some perennial favorites, too—among them a long-sleeve, V-neck, floor-length style dotted with embellishments—but it was the opulent styles that stood above the rest. Biljana’s take on boudoir dressing yielded an ivory ball gown whose bustier top gave way to a hand-appliquéd lace peplum skirt, while a princess dress was reimagined in frothy layers of tulle with floral palettes.
