FASHION

Joan Smalls Lives Out Mugler’s “Jaws” Fantasy in the Chicest Way Possible

Beware of sharks.


For David Koma’s Spring 2017 show with Mugler, he sent models down the runway in scuba-inspired mini dresses in iridescent and reflective fabrics as the Jaws theme played overhead. The inspiration for his looks seemed clear: What would happen if a rogue shark from the imagination of Steven Spielberg was set loose in the Mugler design studio? Apparently, plenty of cold shoulders and slinky skirts with liberally placed cutouts. Perhaps not quite appropriate for a beach outing, but just the thing for looking ahead to spring and summer.

Joan Smalls was apparently feeling the ocean vibes for the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards luncheon over the weekend, selecting a bright orange minidress from the latest Mugler collection with cutout shoulders and a scuba suit-esque zip down the front. It might not be the most seasonal look, but since when have the weather concerns of mere mortals ever applied to supermodels?

Joan Smalls in Mugler at the Fashion Awards nominees’ luncheon in London, England, December 2016.

Dave Benett/Getty Images

Who: Joan Smalls.

When: Sunday, December 4.

Where: The British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards luncheon celebrating the 2016 nominees at Little House Mayfair in London, England.

What: A bright orange Mugler Spring 2017 minidress with long sleeves and cutout shoulders paired with black suede pointy-toed heels with ankle straps by Monika Chiang.

Why: Any event hosted by the Fashion Awards — formerly the British Fashion Awards, now ostensibly no longer relegated to the U.K. alone — is likely to have its resident crop of Burberry-clad It girls, but it’s Riccardo Tisci favorite Joan Smalls who really won the recent Fashion Awards nominees’ luncheon. On Mugler’s Spring 2017 runway, this crossing-guard orange dress was paired with heavy-soled monk-strap flats; Smalls makes the look a bit more elegant with simple black heels. The bright color and micro-mini silhouette are quite a lot of statement for a lunchtime jaunt — Naomi Campbell wore jeans to the same event — but Smalls is definitely giving us ample reason to reconsider the cold-shoulder trend.

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