Zimmermann Shows Us What a Modern-Day Beatnik Looks Like

Designer Nicky Zimmermann's inspiration for her Fall 2014 collection? Her mom. "She was a little bit beatnik," she said in the show notes about her mother's innocent yet defiant look. That look is precisely what walked the runway, in the form of moody black-based floral prints, baby-doll dresses underneath cropped biker jackets, and formfitting ankle-length skirts. The collection even took on a bit of a Western feel with fit-and-flare silhouettes that had spliced cutout panels framed by gold buckles and studs. What tied the show together was, quite literally, a bow: the metal choker neckpieces, along with fringed brogues and leather doctor's bags, harkened back to a different time. This subculture aesthetic is a slight divergence for Zimmermann, and we like where it's heading.