To present the Vionnet Resort 2018 collection, Goga Ashkenazi was inspired by the Japanese aesthetic as her knowledge on the subject was extensive. She was drawn by the nine principles of Japanese art: wabi-sabi (imperfection); miyabi (elegance); shibui (subtlety); iki (originality); hanami (beauty); jo-ha-kyu (rhythm); yugen (mystery); and enso (abnegation of self).

Ashkenazi blended Vionnet’s geometric construction with a soft edge, a nod to Japan’s graceful yet exacting visual culture. The square, the archetypal shape around which Madeleine Vionnet’s codes revolved, was the grounding pattern for long billowy dresses in nude chiffon with appliqué embroidery or in a silk net fabric in a vibrant shade of yellow. They looked fluid and graceful. Obis and kimonos were featured prominently throughout the lineup, best when presented with cropped pants for a clean look, as in a karate-inspired wrapped robe, which looked effortless. Both were sumptuously embroidered and painstakingly appliquéd with a mosaic of abstract petals and twigs on a whisper-thin silk tulle.

Sakura leaves, the Japanese cherry blossom, inspired the bodices of long evening dresses; they had a floaty consistency, finely pleated with an inconspicuous sculptural touch in the Vionnet tradition.