Victoria by Victoria Beckham Ready To Wear Spring Summer 2013 New York

If the signature Victoria Beckham collection is all about cool sophisticated up town elegance and body hugging silhouettes, the designer’s Victoria line is a bit more approachable and relaxed.

And we are not just talking price points here.

Take today’s rolling presentation. It took place in a light filled Milk Studio venue. The designer herself greeted guests at the door carrying her daughter Harper on her hip and it was open seating for the audience- first come, first serve.

This very democratic approach to a fashion show was refreshing as was the clothing that Beckham sent down the runway. A collection that consisted exclusively of above the knee dresses worn by models styled to look…well…like themselves, in easy shift shapes that came across as young and carefree.

The youthful feel of the show was accentuated thanks to the use of bird illustrations and flower bud prints to construct the clothing.  These pieces along with the muted color palette, short hemlines and Walter Steiger platform heals gave the collection an ever so slight 70s vibe.

But if the dresses looked straight forward from a distance (pretty frocks in cute prints) it was the little details that made this show sing. The insertion of gold zipper front pockets at the juncture between a bi-color block dress or the play between sheer and opaque panels on the torso of a pair of dove gray ensembles gave just the right amount of gravitas to the girly designs. Dresses that any modern day Marsha Brady (the most stylish of the Brady sisters) would be delighted to don.

- Jessica Michault