Mark Howard Thomas is moving out.

For his sophomore show and third collection as Carven’s director of design, he metaphorically and literally left the confines of the French brand’s historic home on Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées.

Fear not, the destination was no bedsit: the fall runway took place in a high-vaulted marble hall of a former priory, now the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers.

And the Carven woman was ready for it. “She’s dressed, she’s going somewhere,” the British designer told WWD before the show.

Continuing to play on the threshold between indoor comforts and outdoor pursuits, he leaned in a dressier direction by playing on a restrained color palette of browns, blacks, grays, white and sand, but going deep in textures.

Take the mahogany-toned opening look, which layered without bulk a leather coat with raglan sleeves, a crisp shirt, an asymmetric leather belt and straight tailored slacks. It exemplified the idea of “uniform tailoring” he developed through the lineup, calling these monochromatic looks “a new way of wearing a suit.”

Elsewhere, he played on the double entendre of house, alluding on the one hand to Carven’s couture-level heritage in double-silk blousons or terrific tops modeled after ‘50s kimono shapes, executed in silk toile or bonded wools that made them sculptural but airy to wear.

On the other, he riffed on a boudoir wardrobe with, say, a singlet stretched into a laid-back but oh so chic long dress, translucent organza separates turned opaque through layering and padded housecoats turned luxurious outerwear. There was also a dash of witty repurposing of interior details such as fringes lifted from carpets turning jackets and trousers fluttery; and voluptuous scalloped swags that turned a fitted dress from staple to striking.

This breezy and sophisticated fall lineup spoke of the growing maturity of what he deemed “a baby brand” when he took up the helm two years ago.