Wednesday February 18, 2009Juan Carlos Obando - TheFashionList Fashion Week FavoriteEyebeamWhen you entered the Eyebeam space for the Juan Carlos Obando show, the suspense was palpable. There were two very (i.e. too) closely arranged rows of benches on each side of a crisp white gash of light running the length of an otherwise expansive dark loft. On each bench seat was a box of No. 4 High Performance Hair Care products (www.number4hair.com) in a white rectangular shaped box, as if a little mini-runway in a box were your seat favor. Striking. The impact didn’t end there, but continued during every single moment of time until we left the space some 20 minutes later. Right before the lights went down, 4 assistants came out of the darkness & distributed novelty totes to pack up your seat favors. Next came the main course. The show began first with a haunting, albeit slightly loud, soundtrack that can best be described as powerfully haunting, at first industrial, but not hard & finally ending in the best cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” I’ve ever heard, sung a cappella in Spanish. When the clothing finally arrived, the emotional experience was merely extended rather than interrupted. These weren’t clothes, these were sculptural… & I hate this term… works of wearable art. The opening colors were nearly indiscernible, faded tones of White, Lavender, Pink, Blue & Pewter. So light & delicate that they looked to be sun bleached. Colors this delicate rarely happen at the hand of man. The fabrics were at times raw edged & at times cleanly finished, but always textural — whether created by layering, ruching, tucking, tying, etc. As the collection progressed, the colors became more definitive, with Brown, Purple & Cream & the surface texture gave way to giant sculptural forms created by dramatic bows being placed down the back of jackets & dresses, off to the side as parts of collars & eventually sort of deconstructed into massive growths of finely fabricated, knotted, tacked shapes. The final vignette was a series of well edited white flowy gowns that, while far more simplistic than some of the earlier offerings, were no less praiseworthy. When the final look left the runway, a single light was lit, thus illuminating none other than the designer himself. He disappeared into the darkness & was not seen any more as if a living metaphor of the life cycle of a collection of this magnitude. Fashion moments of this level don’t happen often & are fleeting by definition; only to be forgotten when the next season arrives. Sadly, they cannot be replicated by any other means than experiencing it firsthand & thankfully, we can say we have.As a separate note, each of Obando’s looks was masterfully accessorized with jewelry designed by Gabriela Artigas (www.gabrielaartigas.com). This was a marriage made in the heavens. These collections looked so perfect with one another that it seemed as either would be less than complete if separated. Striking.-Meredith Garcia & Scott French Milly by Michelle SmithThe SalonMichelle Smith produced a great collection that ranged in texture and color but was centralized by the very wearable and classic form; also cohesively formatted by the large amount of head wear-lots of fur hats and headbands for Fall/Winter '09. Smith displayed feminine tweed jackets, wool skirts and knitted scarves. For being a rather muted pallet of mostly gray with pops of autumnal orange; Michele Smith showed a rather fun and flirtatious line. A youthful collection that is very in-tune with what girls in their teens to twenty's are wearing on and off the streets.-Kai Baukol Oscar de la Renta583 ParkThe Oscar de la Renta Fall 2009 had all the luxury and glamour that one might expect from such a designer. Oscar did not give us a more “recession-appropriate” collection like many other designers might be doing this season instead de la Renta provided a mixture of glamorous and grandiose pieces like his draped asymmetrical evening gowns mixed with simpler, daywear pieces such as the LBD with gold clutch and gold slip-on booties. The color palette included many bright colors mixed in a fun and cohesive manner such as gold, silver, yellow, orange, red, purple and a lovely leopard print. The overall style of the collection was very focused on the woman’s silhouette with 97% of the models wearing belts that accentuated their small waists. This collection offered something for all of Oscar’s devout followers like Red Carpet starlets or First Ladies. -Aura Breton Michael KorsThe TentA very high slit here, a dash of neon there & fur hats everywhere… that defines Michael Kors Fall 2009 collection to a T. The men’s & women’s clothing were sleek & sophisticated with tailoring as a focal point. Trousers were straight legged, skirts came just below the knee & layering of garments & accessories were key. The most unique highlight of the collection was a beautifully fitting women’s skirt suit with cut-out lapel. Kors central color was black, but had accents of neon pink, caution orange, and acid green. The collection conveyed that even in the darkest of times- we can still have a little fun. -Meredith Garcia Vivienne TamVivienne Tam BoutiqueVivienne Tam's Mercer street boutique was packed with guests for her Fall/Winter Presentation. Tam exhibited twenty looks that were all inspired by Chinese calligraphy. In some cases this inspiration was quite literal in some garments while in others it was faintly recognizable. The collection stood out with Tam's use of color including her distinctive red which was vibrantly teamed with magenta, eggplant and crimson. There was a definite structural theme that was obviously produced through her use of the calligraphy. Tam who titled her show "Nothingness" actually produced something quite fresh with a strong use of shape that was beautifully presented with vibrant color; something that was rare this season compared to the other runways and presentations.-Kai Baukol Michael AngelGallery in ChelseaAustralian Michael Angel staged a presentation this season & the results were even more grand than his last show in Bryant Park, which launched fashion week in a very memorable way. Mr. Angel’s Spring ’09 show is still fresh in my mind some 6 months & 50+ other shows for comparison later — that speaks volumes about his talents. This season, it seems that designers are lining up behind two very distinctive camps, the Black with color camp or the Black with White camp. Mr. Angel has pitched his tent firmly in the color camp, showing a collection of Hot Pink, Purple, White & Yellow. A single bold print was employed as well, a very, very large, computer pixilated digital print of a bouquet of Zinnias. His details are as bold as his color choices. Many of his garments looked like different garments from the front than they did from the front. Several had back that were sewn onto other back to look as if the outer layer was unzipping to expose the real layer beneath. Even others were constructed with different fabrications from front to back to create a more subtle version of the same effect. The fascination with shoulder pads Mr. Angel had last season didn’t leave entirely, but it had definitely taken a less prominent role, only appearing in one sleeveless dress on the model of the season, Linlee, where the shoulder along the top of the open sleeve looked to be a full ¾” thick due to the edge of the pad being visible. This collection was extremely well done & struck a balance between artful concept & accessibility that should result in retail sales. Mr. Angel strikes again. The flight from Down Under is worth it, at least for us, the viewer.-pq Carmen Marc ValvoCitrineBefore walking up the stairs into the New York hotspot Citrine, I could smell Carmen Marc Valvo… not him personally, but anyone who has been to his showroom can attest that his scented candles smell like nothing you have ever experienced. Immediately guests felt welcomed & calmed and ready to view the collection and as Valvo would request: Enjoy, Indulge, & Live! This was no ordinary season for the designer, but rather a 20th year anniversary celebration of his namesake label. The installation presented this season’s most exquisite dresses that were draped & ruched in metallic lace & tulle. Gowns were strapless & one shouldered with details of caviar beads & sequin. Two models schmoozed the crowed in Valvo’s more RTW pieces making periodic changes in cocktail dresses & pants made of cashmere, tweed, & herringbone. The vibe was relaxed & the clothes were just right. Happy Anniversary Carmen Marc Valvo!-Meredith Garcia
Juan Carlos Obando - TheFashionList Fashion Week FavoriteEyebeam
When you entered the Eyebeam space for the Juan Carlos Obando show, the suspense was palpable. There were two very (i.e. too) closely arranged rows of benches on each side of a crisp white gash of light running the length of an otherwise expansive dark loft. On each bench seat was a box of No. 4 High Performance Hair Care products (www.number4hair.com) in a white rectangular shaped box, as if a little mini-runway in a box were your seat favor. Striking. The impact didn’t end there, but continued during every single moment of time until we left the space some 20 minutes later. Right before the lights went down, 4 assistants came out of the darkness & distributed novelty totes to pack up your seat favors. Next came the main course. The show began first with a haunting, albeit slightly loud, soundtrack that can best be described as powerfully haunting, at first industrial, but not hard & finally ending in the best cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” I’ve ever heard, sung a cappella in Spanish. When the clothing finally arrived, the emotional experience was merely extended rather than interrupted. These weren’t clothes, these were sculptural… & I hate this term… works of wearable art. The opening colors were nearly indiscernible, faded tones of White, Lavender, Pink, Blue & Pewter. So light & delicate that they looked to be sun bleached. Colors this delicate rarely happen at the hand of man. The fabrics were at times raw edged & at times cleanly finished, but always textural — whether created by layering, ruching, tucking, tying, etc. As the collection progressed, the colors became more definitive, with Brown, Purple & Cream & the surface texture gave way to giant sculptural forms created by dramatic bows being placed down the back of jackets & dresses, off to the side as parts of collars & eventually sort of deconstructed into massive growths of finely fabricated, knotted, tacked shapes. The final vignette was a series of well edited white flowy gowns that, while far more simplistic than some of the earlier offerings, were no less praiseworthy. When the final look left the runway, a single light was lit, thus illuminating none other than the designer himself. He disappeared into the darkness & was not seen any more as if a living metaphor of the life cycle of a collection of this magnitude. Fashion moments of this level don’t happen often & are fleeting by definition; only to be forgotten when the next season arrives. Sadly, they cannot be replicated by any other means than experiencing it firsthand & thankfully, we can say we have.
As a separate note, each of Obando’s looks was masterfully accessorized with jewelry designed by Gabriela Artigas (www.gabrielaartigas.com). This was a marriage made in the heavens. These collections looked so perfect with one another that it seemed as either would be less than complete if separated. Striking.
-Meredith Garcia & Scott French
Michelle Smith produced a great collection that ranged in texture and color but was centralized by the very wearable and classic form; also cohesively formatted by the large amount of head wear-lots of fur hats and headbands for Fall/Winter '09. Smith displayed feminine tweed jackets, wool skirts and knitted scarves. For being a rather muted pallet of mostly gray with pops of autumnal orange; Michele Smith showed a rather fun and flirtatious line. A youthful collection that is very in-tune with what girls in their teens to twenty's are wearing on and off the streets.
Oscar de la Renta583 Park
The Oscar de la Renta Fall 2009 had all the luxury and glamour that one might expect from such a designer. Oscar did not give us a more “recession-appropriate” collection like many other designers might be doing this season instead de la Renta provided a mixture of glamorous and grandiose pieces like his draped asymmetrical evening gowns mixed with simpler, daywear pieces such as the LBD with gold clutch and gold slip-on booties. The color palette included many bright colors mixed in a fun and cohesive manner such as gold, silver, yellow, orange, red, purple and a lovely leopard print. The overall style of the collection was very focused on the woman’s silhouette with 97% of the models wearing belts that accentuated their small waists. This collection offered something for all of Oscar’s devout followers like Red Carpet starlets or First Ladies.
-Aura Breton
Michael KorsThe Tent
A very high slit here, a dash of neon there & fur hats everywhere… that defines Michael Kors Fall 2009 collection to a T. The men’s & women’s clothing were sleek & sophisticated with tailoring as a focal point. Trousers were straight legged, skirts came just below the knee & layering of garments & accessories were key. The most unique highlight of the collection was a beautifully fitting women’s skirt suit with cut-out lapel. Kors central color was black, but had accents of neon pink, caution orange, and acid green. The collection conveyed that even in the darkest of times- we can still have a little fun.
-Meredith Garcia
-Kai Baukol
-pq
Carmen Marc ValvoCitrine
Before walking up the stairs into the New York hotspot Citrine, I could smell Carmen Marc Valvo… not him personally, but anyone who has been to his showroom can attest that his scented candles smell like nothing you have ever experienced. Immediately guests felt welcomed & calmed and ready to view the collection and as Valvo would request: Enjoy, Indulge, & Live! This was no ordinary season for the designer, but rather a 20th year anniversary celebration of his namesake label. The installation presented this season’s most exquisite dresses that were draped & ruched in metallic lace & tulle. Gowns were strapless & one shouldered with details of caviar beads & sequin. Two models schmoozed the crowed in Valvo’s more RTW pieces making periodic changes in cocktail dresses & pants made of cashmere, tweed, & herringbone. The vibe was relaxed & the clothes were just right. Happy Anniversary Carmen Marc Valvo!