Let’s face it – the fashion house of Chloé has been going in all sorts of directions ever since Phoebe Philo took the helm in 2001. Paulo Melim Andersson, the house’s last artistic director, bordered on storybook whimsy with his final collection. Now that Hannah MacGibbon is in charge, the brand is taking more classic and familiar paths.

MacGibbon’s first collection from the driver’s seat encompasses so many identities with so few colors or accoutrements. Even if the brand is well known for its stratospheric price tags and elite clientele, its new artistic director seems to be driving it towards someplace that’s more classic and uncluttered.

On one hand, there is that sense of a stylish Parisienne, the type who strolls along the Champs-Élysées wearing her dreamy ruffled white asymmetric dress. She’s also the type who’d go shopping at Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré in her gauzy curved-shoulder blouse and high-waist scalloped sky blue skirt.

And then there’s the beach-loving girl-next-door type who’d wear a hanging scallop-hemmed blouse with Bohemian-looking shorts to the seashore. Or perhaps she’d wear her very Greek goddess-style cinched jumpsuit for exploring the Riviera. There are volumes of comfort here without the extra volumes of fabric – perfect for the warm weather.

The brand’s S/S 09 collection boasts of very few radical pieces that attract stares on the street, but also has more classics that have been given a more feminine touch. Soft-shouldered blouses and flared high-waist shorts were some of the signature pieces of this collection – incongruous at first yet feminine and distinct all the same.

While many other brands’ collections rolled out a riot of colors that are usually reserved for spring, MacGibbon keeps her palette on the restrained side of the fence. Whites, khakis, olive greens and that particular Chloé-esque shade of dark tan (the kind you see on their paper bags) were the central colors of this collection – vibrant enough for the beach, but restrained enough for the more mature fashionista.

The new leadership in the fashion house seems to have the brand targeting a whole new demographic altogether. MacGibbon’s elegant, classics-heavy style is sure to appeal to older and more mature customers who want easily wearable and versatile pieces. It’s for the girl who wants to feel comfortable, and for whom looking great is just an extra bonus.

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