Leather, knits and heavy lace for spring is not what the calendar asks for, and Jonathan Simkhai knew it. "I just wanted to try new things," he said, calling it an anti-spring direction. "I wanted to challenge myself." I love how unbothered that sounds.

Seasons barely mean anything anymore, so I did not find it a curveball. The opener was a plain black leather T-shirt dress with a peekaboo of white chiffon fringe underneath, and later came fully fringed leather maxi dresses that swept the floor as the models walked. Fringe turned up in about a quarter of the looks, enough to feel like a signature without wearing thin.

That is the energy I want from the dresses below: heavy fabric that moves.

The tops are where Simkhai got most inventive. The jelly-coated knit tanks look like rubber but are not, just a high-shine finish, and he said they feel languid and not stiff at all. I like that rule: if it is going to look vacuum-sealed, at least let someone breathe in it.

Near the end came the shaggy white tops, cut from strips of organza, chiffon and paillettes. Pincushion flowers, prickly yet pretty, were on his moodboard, and you can see them in every spiky edge.

Bags appeared in about two in five of the looks, which surprised me, because the clothes were so loud I barely registered them. That is a compliment to the tops.

The skirts took the same flower idea and gave it motion. They were shaggy and white, built from strips of organza, chiffon and paillettes, and cut on an asymmetrical hemline so the whole thing swung at a slant.

I would pair one the way he did, with a small satin tuxedo coat. Formal and fun is a hard balance, and that combination lands it. The coat keeps things sharp while the skirt does the dancing.

Headbands came up in just a handful of looks, and the shoes with feathers or fringe were a handful too. They are small touches, but they push the whole outfit toward the party.

I will be honest: a few of the brushed-suede jackets felt like he was following the pack, with a nod to Loewe and Celine territory. They were fine, but they were the least Simkhai thing there.

The best of it was the stuff only he would make. Leather trousers showed up in only a handful of looks, and I wish there had been more. I keep thinking about the fringe, the jelly finish, and those shaggy flowers.

If I were invited anywhere with a dance floor, I would pick the white shaggy skirt and a tuxedo coat and not look back. Spring did not need another pastel, and this one felt like a good party.