The Thakoon aesthetic is nothing if not ladylike. Modest, refined, elegant – these are signatures of designer Thakoon Panichgul’s work the same way sexiness is for Versace, or British humour is for Mulberry. But if this sounds a little plain, think again.

The Thakoon spring/summer 2013 show was a cleverly restrained celebration of embroidered motifs, sheer fabrics and indeed, beauty. Playing with the idea of birds and their feathers, he began the show with an exquisitely lineated dress that drew on the notion of a birdcage to strengthen and give structure to the female body in a way that highlighted rather than restrained, before moving on to several wallpaper-inspired prints that added a sense of early 20^th century elegance to his pieces. The shape of a preppy collegiate sweater was re-imagined in delicate organza and floral-print paneling to add a sense of lightness and femininity to an often dowdy shape. The airy prettiness of the first party of the collection petered out as the parade ended with some lackluster silhouettes, but there was no doubt this will be a lovely collection to wear in summer indeed.

Marie Piovesan, Ros Georgiou, Marine van Outryve, Maja Salamon, Cara Delevigne X Thakoon spring/summer 2013 at New York Fashion Week / Style.com

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