When Zac Posen cited flowers from the White House and the “perversion of conservatism” as inspirations for his Resort 2011 collection, I instantly envisioned a Jackie O/Marilyn Monroe hybrid sipping spiked tea in the Rose Garden. And as Posen’s rebellious yet refined looks sauntered down the runway in his downtown atelier, it became clear that my vision was not far off the mark.

A parade of balanced dualities, the collection was an experiment in the traditional and the new, the hard and the soft or, as Posen put it, “Cecil Beaton mixed with Cicciolina.” Faux-pearl-embellished bouclé, which was most impressive in the form of a strong-shouldered, wide-leg pant suit and a minty-green day dress, channeled classic high-society chic while flouncy floral chiffon dresses were at once flirtatious and demure. Perforated lace was folded, tucked and pleated into a nymph-like lilac cocktail frock and a translucent cream gown that were both rough and elegant.

However, what best fused Posen’s opposing aesthetics were the fingerless sterling chainmail gloves that accompanied every ladylike look. “It’s edgy without being dirty through clean industrialism. I think that’s very modern going forward, rather than being sort of ‘street’,” explained Posen post-show. And while these unexpected accessories gave us a glimpse of the designer’s tougher side, the pastel palette, ostrich feather embellishments and a massive pink fur coat were all perfect examples of the feminine fantasy that the designer does best.