Update for Spring on Three Names in the Design World : Helga

Helga, L.A.’s champion of beautiful fabrics and immaculately tailored designs, is emerging with a decidedly new look this spring. The new longer, softer silhouette prevails, including long supple coats shaped like raincoats; easy, collarless jackets paired with skirts and shifts, and princess dresses a la Audrey Hepburn in the 1960s.

“I’d say we’re all moving away from the hard tailoring of the menswear look,” said Helga, who recently presented her spring, 1986, collection at the Elizabeth Arden Salon in Beverly Hills.

“I think it’s a reaction against a lot of things, like the so-called leotard dressing and skintight, street-walker clothes and anything else that is hard or tough.

“It’s all so unappealing really. It’s time to soften up.”

Helga uses sherbet-colored piques, raw silks and linens to create lots of low-flounced shifts, coatdresses and dresses with full skirts and puffed-and-tucked bell sleeves.

Bright, silk Jacquard print dresses and skirts are grouped with collarless, unconstructed jackets as well as featherweight, double-faced wool toppers.