New York Fashion Week:
Day #5
09.13.09-

Behnaz Sarafpour
Milk Studios

A 3-dimensional bow is how Behnaz Sarafpour started her Spring 2010 show on Sunday.  I believe this may be the first one she’s ever done — but don’t hold me to it – & for the first look!  The surprises stopped there, but the results were far from disappointing.  Ms. Sarafpour is a master of clean, feminine fashion that is modern without being the least bit futuristic.  In this season of nude, cream & a hint of black, Ms. Sarafpour was on the mark.  She showed a series just such pieces that were all more pleasant than the next.  Her new found love of the 3rd dimension was also seen in a series of dresses that consisted of grosgrain ribbons draped down from the shoulders to create vertical stripes, but since they were only tacked every foot or so, they moved as the wearer did to create an optical effect.  When color entered the formula, the collection was elevated even higher.  The first play with color was a version of the ribbon dress that used Hot Pink ribbons over a black ground, then a Yellow ribbon version over a White & Black lace version.  The next strongest statement; however were the pieces that used iridescent sequins in the shapes of butterflies.  Ms. Sarafpour’s collections continue to impress season after season, but it seems she cannot get the traction needed to take the proverbial next step.  There were literally lines of people waiting for her to create a sketch for them at Barney’s on Fashion’s Night Out.  Ms. Sarafpour’s conundrum is how does she create the same sense of excitement at the register on a daily basis?

-Scott French

Hervé Léger
The Promenade

Max Azria is starting to really mix things up with his celeb favorite Hervé Léger collection.  Yes- the bandage dress is still the focal point, but it is more than just the usual tight obvious silhouette.  Don’t get me wrong-to wear an Hervé Léger I wouldn’t stray too far from the diet, but there are a few new forgiving elements to the collection.   This season inspirations of folkloric beauty provided home-spun techniques & changes in sophistication.  Taking cues from the desert sky & dusty sands, Azria’s palette was fresh & relaxed with an antique appeal.  He added crochet detailing & new elements of fluted gaudets to the form fitting ensemble.  One major misstep was the denim story in which an array of tonal denim patchwork with frayed edges in dresses, skirts & jackets appeared- I know that we are taking a number of cues from 80’s inspirations this season, but this is a trend that would have been better off left in that decade as these surely thousand dollar dresses looked cheaper than the status that the brand has tirelessly worked to maintain. Nonetheless, all hope was reinstated with one of the final dresses- the Anastasia- which was a nude-like gravel beaded dress – sure to be hitting the red carpet sooner than later on a number of Hollywood’s hot bods.  

-Meredith Garcia

Paola Hernandez
The Inn at Irving Place 

Scholars meet the Upper East Side, but will never forget their childhood.  Creating a very youthful 2010 Spring collection, Paola Hernandez had to use a little bit of her inner child while in production this year.  The delicately rolled over laced socks would take anyone back to their first day of school.  Utilizing clear and clean crisp tones of black, grey and white created an intellectual-like aura color scheme.  Styles and silhouettes consisted of high-wasted pants and skirts, high-water pants - because who wouldn’t want to show off those perfectly tied leather shoes, shirts tied with a bow, overlapping t-shirts and dresses, and oversized sweaters and vest for the exceptional elite.  The oversized briefcases will be perfect for the weekend “study sessions”. After all college is where a few people say your life begins, now you can enter in style.

-Jena Clem

 

Tuleh
The Promenade

Spotted front row at Tuleh: gorgeous actress Kelly Rutherford in a black and white strapless dress.  As we all know she plays Lily van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl.  Was she researching wardrobe options for the show?  Whether in real life or on the show she looks great in Tuleh.  His collection is always impeccably turned out.  Beautifully cut trousers worn with rushed, fitted blouses with loose sleeves in sheer chiffon came down the runway begging for a leisurely sunny afternoon stroll in New York City.  His dresses and skirts are cut to fit perfectly and would be appropriate for women of all ages.  This time around the collection was entitled “Fashion as a Short Story Collection” and he experimented with shorter skirts and intricate headpieces which were a departure of what we have seen in the past. 

-Miriam Driot

 
Frank Tell
Milk Studios

Frank Tell’s spring/summer presentation showcased his great talents in garment construction. Paneled dresses and jackets ruled the runway in silver, black, white, copper and lavender while accented with small bronze “claws” often at the waist and shoulders.  The structured shoulders from the fall collections were echoed in this season’s garments. Copper liquid leggings and harem pants were paired with blazers and short-sleeved jackets with jacquard paneling. A favorite from this collection was the miniskirt with marocain side drapes. This asymmetrical piece would stand out in any spring wardrobe. Bustier dresses were sexy and sophisticated with cut outs at the waist and around the bust line. 

-Alex Perron

 

Diane von Furstenberg
The Tent

The DVF woman is known to be confident, sexy and sophisticated.  Her Spring collection, entitled Oasis, was right on target as always.  This time around we were taken on a journey to follow the woman adventurer who travels the world and as the program puts it “is a modern myth, the queen of the desert”.  Among the highlights of the collection were a beautiful palace tiger chiffon shirt combined with a palace tiger African cutaway embellished dress.  Jodhpurs in black chiffon were paired with a black embellished chiffon jacket worn over a blue Anatolia tunic.  For an unforgettable evening under the Egyptian sky there is a beautiful Indian temple chiffon and jacquard dress.  There is always great people watching at this show and the atmosphere is always festive.  This time around Mr. Giancarlo Giammetti was in attendance and so were actress Candice Bergen and her daughter Chloe.  Mr. Barry Diller was there of course supporting his wife and so were her cute grand-daughters who always bring her flowers when she comes out for her final bow.

-Miriam Driot

 

 

Alexander Berardi
The Altman Building

Choosing Sunday night at 8:00pm as the time to show his 2010 Spring/Summer Collection, its comes as no surprise that the crowd gathered for the Alexander Berardi show was small but enthusiastic.  The Parson’s grad and New York Native’s aim is to blend “fashion history with forward elements of modernism to create a fresh new look for today’s woman.”  Using mainly white, cream, and navy Berardi sent 24 looks down the runway, and although there were some very pretty pieces shown, one could argue that there wasn’t anything decidedly fresh or new about any of them.  The most exciting pieces were the few pops of color- a softly draping orange chiffon strapless dress- and the sequin embellished pieces closing out the show, particularly a silver sequined cardigan (although it was worn over the first look of the show) and an ivory sequin mini-dress shown with an ivory tuxedo blazer.  

-Anna Sandberg

 

Commonwealth Utilities
Astor Haircutting

Contending for the award for most unique invitation (a classic black comb printed with the show details & then oddly vacuum sealed in plastic), Commonwealth Utilities chose to the iconic basement hair salon on the border between East & West Villages downtown, as the venue for its Spring 2010 men’s collection.  They showed to a house so packed, safety concerns were on more than one observer’s lips.  As you entered the subterranean space, 8 models were sitting in the cutting chairs draped in capes while stylists worked on their coifs.  At one point, the show began & models started emerging clad in a very well tailored assortment of garments that ranged from the very accessible from the waist up to the very esoteric from the waist down.  This is the politically correct way of saying that the collection had two diverse audiences that seemed to be delineated at the waist.  The colors were mostly grays, blacks & whites tailored into slimly proportioned jackets, fitted bottoms that ran the gamut from traditional trousers to football shorts, but all extremely distinct in detail, all paired with classic looking shirts & narrow ties.  In the audience were several NY Rangers, the typical men’s fashion editors & Patrick MacDonald.  The range of attendees was addressed in the range of offerings shown.  

-Scott French

 
Rebecca Taylor
The Salon

Rebecca Taylor, known for her flowery, ruffled, girlish looks, has taken it upon herself this season to give us something slightly more grown up.  That's not to say there were no flowers and no ruffles- it is spring and it is Rebecca Taylor after all- but alongside the small floral prints and polka dots she added exposed zippers, chain details, hints of fishnet, and subtle leopard print.  The most successful looks struck a balance somewhere in the middle- like the charcoal trousers, worn rolled-up with a gathered amethyst tank and a cobalt blue, floral-print jacket... or the same cobalt print on a draped mini worn with an easy gray tee.  There was also a fun spring jumper in black silk floral print, featuring a zip front and tie waist, and a magenta dress in the same material (worn quite well by front row show-goer Tiffany Amber-Thiessen).

-Anna Sanberg