Monique Lhuillier Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear Collection

A number of designers are finding inspiration in Hollywood’s golden age, though they are arriving by different routes. Weeks after Alessandro Michele brought his made-for-the-movies Gucci lineup to California, the Californian Monique Lhuillier took hers to Paris and New York.

For the record, Lhuillier’s stated reference is the Gatsby glamour of the Deco age, but her feathered and sequined dresses, many of which she paired with sheer embellished capes, are also in the tradition of costume designers like Adrian and Bob Mackie.

This is Lhuillier’s 25th year in business, a milestone she marked with a monograph, the making of which brought her past work back to light—and not just in pictures. For her own dress-up birthday party, Lhuillier donned a shimmering dress from a past collection. It was such a big hit that it became the touchstone for fall 2022. The irony, said the designer, was that the first time around no one really responded to it: “I think people were not ready for it then.” What’s changed? We’re in a period of showy fashion, and this dress delivers a bit of glitz and glam. Even when she does full-on sequins (this season is a custom green), Lhuillier steers clear of showgirl territory; the designer is known for sophisticated and ladylike looks rather than de trop ones.

“I still want a little ease in the silhouette, so you’ll see a lot of movement,” she explained. It’s there in soft fabrics, sheer overlays, and the marabou that trims a white column dress with an attached, winged cape, an award-winning look if ever there were one.