Alberta Ferretti Spring-Summer 2009, Pictures

At her best, Alberta Ferretti does pretty in a way every woman can get. It's not a collection that should cause anyone to get hung up on concept or theme, or—in this case—fuss too much over the fact that the intellectual link between "Grecian" and "flapper" is, to put it mildly, a little tenuous. Just so long as the easy, fluttery, feminine options for evening keep coming, Ferretti gets an unspoken pass. This season, within two or three outfits, it was clear she was keeping up her end of the bargain.

Vertical, tiered fringing that suggested Fortuny pleating introduced the show, swiftly followed by one of Ferretti's signature whipped-around twirls of chiffon. The Greek-nymph side of the collection may be a reprise of her hits from last Spring, but no harm in that: Ferretti's signature way of draping a georgette dress can be gorgeous, and especially so when left to speak for itself—sans accessories—with flat sandals. Having established that, she wove in a series of short charmeuse cocktail dresses with Jazz Age tassels, and even something cool in the way of a dressy evening chino and a ribbon-lace capri pant. Save for a few moments when the fringe veered toward Spanish-shawl or showgirl territory, it made for a collection that will keep Ferretti's followers very happy, and likely gain her quite a few more.

Alberta Ferretti Spring-Summer 2009, Pictures
Alberta Ferretti Spring-Summer 2009, Pictures