Ralph Lauren does the Purring '20s

On Fashion Week's last day, Ralph Lauren went back nine decades.

A first look featuring a blue moth-eaten “vintaged” cardigan over a jade metallic silk tank and long, pale-yellow flowered skirt heralded Ralph Lauren’s ode to the ‘20s and – not to worry – the ravaged sweater was symbolic, not illustrative of the rest of the collection.

Here, pastels in Easter-egg colors reigned – daffodil, apple green, robin’s egg blue – and were happy harbingers of spring. Dresses and long gowns were fluid affairs – there were sweet, sun-faded flower prints for day and va-va-voom glossy silver and white satin and lamé numbers for evening. Lauren conjured flappers (without a whiff of cliche) with cloche hats and sparkling crochet caps, and then of course, there were ostrich feathers to make hearts flutter – mounds of them, including a bolero, cape and feathered hems. Standouts included a “high gloss” white silk dress and an extraordinary gown in ivory panne velvet featuring a swinging rope of crystal beads running down the back.

For more tailored types, there were menswear-inspired looks, including neckties – think Bugsy Malone in pink – pastel swagger suits with strong shoulders, vests and wide-legged trousers. Killer.