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It’s still winter, we’ve already shopped for the springtime
and we’re looking ahead and thinking about what we’ll wear in the fall. That’s what it takes to stay hip, got
it? Oh, and a sense of fun, too. Can’t forget that.
If we didn’t love fashion so much, such dedication might be
a grind, but it’s a labor of love and nowhere was this more evident than in the
Olympus Fashion Week New York for Fall 2006.
The PhatGuru team hobnobbed and partied with the best of them, but when
it came to what really counts, we were all-eyes-up-front to take in as much as
we could to share with our readers.
And we’ve got a lot to share. The fur is going to fly in ’06, but not from
anger. We’ll see fur collars and trim on
gloves and coats. Always a lovely look
and just what we need to cut the chill when the winter returns. We might need matching umbrellas, too, in
case PETA launches a paint attack.
(Kidding!)
Another trend noted were slightly mannish, 1940’s looks in
various jackets, sweaters – worn with wedge heels. This boxy look is pulled off in toned down
browns, beiges, and greys. The working
idea here is versatility and not needing to buy whole outfits, so you can wear
these pieces with what you already have in your closet. Simply put, more smart choices for the smart
girl.
The weather was mild enough, the styles were wild enough,
and this autumn’s look was pure New
York. Perfect
for PhatGuru and fashion fans alike.
RED DRESS
The Red Dress Collection was such
an Olympus Fashion Week treat! The
celebrities were wonderful, the designers were generous, but the real star of
the show was the spirit. The fashion
industry came together to raise awareness for the leading killer of women in America – heart
disease. But the seriousness of the
subject matter didn’t let anyone feel blue – not at Red Dress! The Tent at Bryant Park was roared with life.
The celebrities modeling included Lindsay Lohan,
Nelly Furtado, Lee Ann Womack, Fergie, Jossie Perez, Deborah Harry, Natasha
Bedingfield, Kelly Rowland, Cheryl Bentyne, Eartha Kitt, Emmylou Harris,
Yolanda Adams, Christina Milian,
Bebe Neuwirth, Jojo, Patti Hansen, Sheryl Crow, Audra McDonald,
Amerie, Michelle Phillips, Thalia, Leann Rimes and Elaine Stritch.
Needless to say, the dresses were as red as the
smiles were wide. La Lindsay led this
parade of stars, so maybe she is the brightest star of the bunch. She wore a floor length Calvin Klein
gown.
Rocker Deborah Harry looked fabulous and Patti
Hansen, former model and current wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith
Richard, was cheered on by their fashionista daughters Theodora and
Alexandra.
Broadway star Elaine Stritch appropriately and
enthusiastically sang “Ya Gotta Have Heart".
And PhatGuru has a special shout out to Eartha
Kitt, all 79 years of her – and still a foxy momma! First she brought the love and then she
brought the house down. Unforgettable!
ABAETE
Abaete, the Soho-based line of luxury apparel from designer
Laura Poretzky, made a splash on Wednesday.
Her line’s inspiration is said to be an exotic Japanese flair,
something, and we love this, “Bugatti-esque".
Bugattis are those long elegant cars from the 1930’s, makes us think of
a Hollywood
with more glamour and less trash.
And Abaete delivered.
Some beautiful clothes with Japanese styled vests mixing very well with
flowing silky skirts. And the night
included a beautiful lavender evening gown that won us over. And any one of the models looked like they
stepped right out of a Bugatti and onto a red carpet. Well done, Abaete!
ALEXANDRE
When catwalk, lights, and DJ is not enough, call
Alexandre. Alexandre Herchcovitch is, in
addition to being a fashion prodigy, a master showman. His was a colorful collection with a flower
theme being dominant and he had had Brooklyn’s
Animal Collective freak-funk band play to the crowd.
His collection was over the top and catchy, as Alexandre is
unafraid to mix flowers, prints and plaids.
Psychedelic. It might not be for
everyone, but it works for Alexandre. We
couldn’t help but snicker when the band, surrounded by giant plastic mushrooms,
was singing about hallucinogenic drugs.
This is Fashion Week. We’re here
to have fun. And it was. Thank you, Alexandre.
ATIL KUTOGLU
The
Turkish designer, Atil Kutoglu, enjoyed an enthusiastic throng of admirers at
his show for Fashion Week. PhatGuru was
hardly prepared, but not surprised, by his crowd. This sort of buzz only generates more
interest in the show before it starts.
We
like anyone who takes chances and Atil obviously is one who does. While the colors he used were traditional
browns and greys of autumn, he used unusual prints of cell-like shapes and put
them on jackets, coats, pants – everything he could get his hands on, we
suppose. These are bold looks. Well done.
BETSEY JOHNSON
Betsey is
crazy. We know this. She knows this. That’s what makes her great!
Betsey’s Fashion
Week show was rivaled any of the Broadway shows for entertainment value; in
fact, her look is Betsey Does Broadway – a streetwise sexiness with show
stopping color! We love it. The music was loud, everyone was happy and
then the show went on.
What a show. Outrageous colors, audacious designs, and
decadent models. Hair in bouffants,
outlandish makeup schemes and some cool nods to the 80’s, like her strapless
black velvet dress with the oversized bow in the back. Betsey’s been cheeky like this, it’s fun –
and no one we know would go full Betsey catwalk in real life, but behind all
the fun is her creative genius. I mean
there was a leopard print dress that would be fun to wear, stockings were cool,
funky coats – things we’d wear, but just not at the same time. That’s what makes these shows so great. We’d never see it anywhere else.
We hope.
CUSTO BARCELONA
Designer Custo Dalman
described this collection as “sparkling and subversive" – and PhatGuru was
there to hold him to his word. The
stylings of Custo Barcelona were shown to a packed house and, while we couldn’t
detect much in the way of subversiveness, Custo Barcelona scored big in the
sparkling department. Think high energy,
exotic, splashy colors – all memorable.
We loved the mini and shawl collar jacket that was decorated with
appliqué flowers, coupled with the high waist black belt and skirt. His velvet and fur Burnt Sienna Jacket with
black sleeves…oh…it just made us cry.
DRAGANA OGNEJOVIC
We
were ‘standing room only’ at the Dragana Ognejovic show in Atelier tent on the
opening Friday night. It was the
Serbian’s first show at New York’s
Fashion Week ever, so the nervous excitement from the presenters is always
appreciated. It’s a big deal.
Her work is detailed, dramatic and essentially romantic
with her artful use of bows and ribbon.
She is most comfortable working with the basic black and we were just
drooling for some of her ¾ length coats – just the classy look needed for
winter. Elegance in black - always a
winner. Her skirts were very nice, too,
with a ribboned box pleat and another accordion skirt that won a thumbs up from
our team.
GUSTAVO ARANGO
You know, we
see lots of shows at PhatGuru and sometimes, designers help themselves by doing
the little things right. The Gustavo
Arango was particularly notable for
creating a mood to fit the designs – soff, flowing, glamorous. It seemed like they had the right lighting
and models to really pull off their look.
Arango used colors like
teal, slate blue, and sienna in an array of silk creations. We loved his black evening gown with
champagne bodice. Bravo.
MONIQUE LHUILLIER
Boy, did Monique Lhuillier’s show wow PhatGuru. She claimed she was inspired by the lush
fabrics that are found in interior design books, but we think it could be
divine inspiration instead. Possibly
more than anything, we love Monique’s cocktail dresses and evening gowns. If anyone from PhatGuru would be going to the
Academy awards in March (hey, it might happen) it is agreed that Monique
Lhuillier might get the call.
Lhuillier cut her teeth in bridal and has made the
transition to the ready-to-wear market swimmingly. We saw rich colors in her work, “peacock
blues", “copper pink", and tempered
lavender. Luhuillier seems to introduce
color into her designs without letting them overwhelm her pieces – very
sophisticated. We felt all grown up just
seeing the show, to tell the truth.
Silhouettes were played to the waist and for such a
dignified manner, Lhuillier can be progressive when playing with shapes. We loved her bell sleeved jackets.
Lhuillier is a new mom as of January, a working mom if there
is one. We’re wondering if expectant
motherhood and its effect on her body played into her designs. Clothes so much, none more so than Lhuillier’s. Beautiful, feminine, inspired.
OAKLEY
Fashion means never
having to say, “I’m sorry". Right? Hello?
Well, anyone looking for an Oakley apology for showing snow wear for a
Fall 2006 should probably keep their distance from shows put on by activewear
companies like Oakley. Truly progressive
sportswear, with an edge.
Ski pants, thermal
layering (long-johns?), swimwear were all shown superbly by beautiful
models. It was different, memorable, and
very well received. Good music, too.
PETER
SOM
Peter Som says that right now he designs “graphic, romantic
clothes with a clean edge". We’d agree
and throw in “gorgeous", “preppy-chic".
Peter’s work has a lean aesthetic and his shows have lines
of continuing statement – where sometimes less says more. This show was indeed clean, subdued and
totally put together. Peter’s showed
pant suits in plush fabrics, the demi-pant suit, and hip displays of lace and
patterned hosiery.
His cocktail dresses and evening gowns were simply
beautiful. Graceful. In silver and black, to die for.
ZALDY
Sometimes you gotta pay to play and the price of admission
for Zaldy on Thursday night was a long wait in the cold outside a rented hall
on West 18th St
in Manhattan. Worth it?
Yes. We’re not sure if Hillary
Duff had to wait in line, but we got as close up a look at everything she saw,
that’s for sure – and Zaldy was worth it.
Zaldy’s fans know his designs borrow heavily (and well) from
the 70’s. The look for his Fall 2006 is
as chic as ever, but the kind of chic we’re dying to wear. His playful pieces were browns, greys, and
plum – and terrific. Zaldy somehow
combines the glamorous with casual, which just circles back to glamorous
again. His body-clinging angora dresses
and silk jerseys made us drool. And in
particular we loved a black hand painted cotton
jumpsuit. Perfect for the rock and roll
sophisticate.
ZANG TOI
Zang
Toi’s ‘Uptown Chic at the House of Toi’ lived up to its billing. It was the most luxurious line of clothes
PhatGuru had the pleasure to review.
Both the menswear and the ladies display made ample use of mohair and
fur – not just any fur, but mink and silver fox. Honestly, we think that Zang Toi should be
commissioned for royalty and billionaires only – it’s that opulent.
Our
favorite look was a charcoal-colored wool flannel jacket with beaded mohair-fringed
trims, accompanied with a charcoal wool flannel princess skirt.
PhatGuru.com
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