New York Fashion Week Day Three.

Music from Black Orpheus transported Midtown New York to the favelas of Brazil. But this is where the connection between the Thakoon show and the compelling and sensual 1959 movie ended.

The Thai-American designer told this season’s story backstage when he said, “exotic through the eyes of a tourist”. There were mostly pale western models dressing up in clothes where patterns of jungle leaves or tufts of threads were not enough to capture the drumbeats of desire or the wildness of the Rio Carnival.

But maybe that was the point: to catch the Brazilian spirit without making the clothes seem too ‘ethnic’. The mix of crisp top and short skirt, with just the tufts to suggest a rough tribal beat; or the flow of light, translucent pants below a boldly patterned tunic top westernised the wilder elements.

Black and white triangular patterns, in the spirit of Italian jesters, added another dynamic and more geometric effect. It did not really add up to a coherent show, but there were strong elements which will come through as this Thakoon collection gets a retail edit.