By Lily Templeton

Boris Bidjan Saberi is back. After spending a season away from the runway – showing digitally instead – he returns to the fold with a collection as deliberately functional as the wardrobe of a long-term traveler where nothing but the essential remains.

Clearly designed with easy movement in mind, the shapes cut close to the body without constricting. Carrot trousers hit the ankle while wide shorts fall just above the knee, the boxy construction of jackets highlighted rugged masculinity. Complementing the ensemble, his “11” spin-off line made a guest appearance in the form of hats and duffle bags worn on the back, displaying their fused seams that keep the elements out. Particularly striking were a dark grey ensemble with structure highlighting white piping and the textured weave of the final quarto, imparting a sense of watchful ease.

Working with a very limited palette of black, grey and off-whites – non-colors, essentially – it is in materials that his superb craftsmanship was evident. Reprising many of the materials that he affections such as gummed leather or the tooled leather that is hand-molded to achieve the body-conforming curve on a jacket – shaped on his own body, no less -, Saberi tailored his pieces with the savage care of a field surgeon. Raw grace emanated from these functional silhouettes, a departure from the harsh utilitarian aspects of earlier seasons.