Sometimes a dress silhouette becomes so pervasive you almost don’t notice its dominance. Right now, slinky, liquid maxi dresses that sheath the body while simultaneously leaving little to the imagination are having a moment. And a large proportion of them, at least judging by my social feeds, are exemplars by Tove.
Co-founders Camille Perry and Holly Wright have seen serious success with the subtly sensual Italian viscose-jersey and silk designs that prowled down their spring runway in London last year. So, they decided to own it for fall. “We do well with these kinds of styles because they are still very covered and refined, but there’s an element of sexiness, too,” said Wright. One of the standout designs in their latest collection was a gold silk maxi dress with a scarf-neck detail and cut-outs on the arms; equally alluring was a viscose-jersey ruched style with an integrated caped back (it’s giving Dune press tour).
That they had to be viewed on a rack in a parquet-floored Paris showroom rather than on a London catwalk didn’t diminish their impact. Pragmatism dictates Tove business decisions and designs: both women, industry veterans who met while working for Topshop, talk constantly about pieces being “useful” just as much as “beautiful.” They admitted they had agonized over skipping the fall runway, but ultimately they allocated show funds towards a campaign shoot to bolster a new focus on digital marketing, as well as develop shoes with a Portuguese supplier.
The latter—comprising a chic, easy loafer, a pointed mule and a heeled ’90s-style ankle boot in sophisticated shades of olive, burgundy and chestnut—will certainly aid the designers’ desire to attain “that extra level of refinement and polish.” They’re aiming for the ultra-considered sleekness that has made The Row’s shoes so coveted, but without the four-figure price tag. To hear the duo obsess over the just-so almond toe of a flat loafer, the optimal supple leather for a boot that’s not too precious to wear every day—well, they’ve done their homework.
Outerwear is another Tove strength, and an eggplant-hued trench looked assertive, while a black patchwork blanket coat offered a touch of idiosyncrasy, alongside double-faced wool styles. Meanwhile there were office-friendly suits, their sharp proportions following fashion’s shift towards more fitted styles after years of oversized shapes, and a new hero jacket, the textured-wool Uma. “We know we’ll live in that, said Perry. “Perfect with jeans, perfect for a meeting, perfect for evening with smart black trousers. It will effortlessly pull everything together.” The same could be said for pretty much everything on the racks.
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