CAROLINA HERRERA, “our lady of the sleeves” as dubbed by WWD at the onset of her designing career has come a long way from puffed sleeved luncheon lady dresses a la Imelda Marcos. She skillfully delivers a collection filled with chic, polish, and soigné apparel that will delight women of many ages. While it may not be the end all do all of Spring fashion, what Mrs. Herrera does deliver is flawless execution for women of a particular taste.
MONIQUE LHUILLIER is well known for red carpet confections and bridal gowns, this season she revs it up for those camera ready moments. From cocktails to drop dead evening extravagance, Ms. Lhuillier has kept the bar high for any occasion after 5 PM.
MARC JACOBS has referenced the 70’s yet again, and YSL and Rykiel and Halston and even Missoni with the endless variety of colorful peasant tops, tube tops, caftans, knits, and every know way to drape and shirr a dress. The spectacle cannot be duplicated and the production unparalleled. One can sit back and enjoy it, but this reviewer has always been confused by who buys and wears this collection, NONETHLESS, fascinated.
VERA WANG has been following a trajectory of questionable path. Ms. Wang, long known as the “go to” wedding dress designer, has chosen a very different direction for her ready to wear. This was an odious, brooding, very dark and very Japanesy collection. It makes one really wonder why would a woman, who really knows about her customer, would select these over worked underwhelmingly appealing silhouettes.
BADGELY MISCHKA served up a rather bland presentation that mixed their signature line with their less expensive collection. No matter what, the entire presentation was rather ho hum and certainly not as exciting as past shows. There were the de rigueur gowns of questionable beauty and then a smattering of some very youthful looks which seemed to veer in the polar opposite of their core customer.
RODARTE …. The Mulleavy sisters have taken a turn toward possibly showing a collection that is more commercial than any of their previous outings. Do not think for one second that this means wearable. The collection remains editorial fodder but shows signs that the sisters may have a target of designing a commercially viable collection. It’s nice to see they are evolving but one can’t help but wonder about the emperor's new clothes.
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