This season, Clare Waight Keller chose a private home in Kent, located in the south of London to present the latest Givenchy Pre-Fall 2018 collection. The designer exposed the pieces in a domestic atmosphere that feels warm and personal.

“There’s something about a domestic environment that feels relevant to me right now; it feels connected to the way we actually live and where we see ourselves,” said Waight Keller.

The intimate outdoor-indoor setting also accommodates two of the season’s key statements: covetable faux fur and enveloping shearling coats, plus versatile pleated skirts and dresses with graphic herringbone or zigzag patterning and high-impact volume. “It feels much more modern to be looking away from the past in that aspect,” said Waight Keller. “There are newer ways to presenting old ideas.”

Clare introduced relaxed maxi dresses, pleated skirts, cozy sweaters and warm outwear. The collection is a mix of modern and vintage styles that blend seamlessly together. Waight Keller’s strongest mark on the house so far is how she is rethinking a familiar town-and-country mix. Her emphasis on strong-shoulder tailoring, along with the presence of longer, fluid skirts and chic studded leather pants, all reference historic codes without stiffness. Meanwhile, her evening dresses featured cascades of pleats and panels of velvet.

The collection carried an energetic vibe thanks to the color-blocking elements and vibrant prints. The pre-fall pieces are designed to make a statement with nothing but little effort. Clare Waight Keller announced that the check print will stay on the fashion radar in 2018.