#1485 Sera Lilly's veritable piñata

Photos: Katherine Lowe

Like a Trojan Horse hanging from the rafters, a long white curtained box surrounded the models on the catwalk at Sera Lilly today, and in a long show encompassing 45 looks, it heralded what was to come: Lilly was not going to leave the runway without a fight. The designer went South o' the Border this season, looking to Mexico for inspiration. This meant a nod to the Day of the Dead festival, knitted ponchos, gothic hats, the whole piñata and more. There were moments of genius – Aztec knitted dresses and long skirts cut on the bias, and real shearling jackets that looked too good to be true. But those moments were outweighed by what was otherwise a rather heavy-handed collection: think leopard prints, feathers on a vest and loud floral dresses big on flounce and excess frill. Sera's sister Rachel closed in a black veiled gown, the most dramatic in the show. She was the perfect pale corpse bride, but she should have come out about 15 looks earlier. The collection was in desperate need of an edit – a catwalk show should always leave the audience wanting more.



Rachel and Sera Lilly.

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