Naeem Khan pre-fall 2022

 Here is a slightly edited comment excerpted from the Vogue review “Khan is open about the collection being designed for selling more than storytelling. And it’s an aspect of the business that needs attending to; sales are way up.” Alas, a designer who speaks to the realities of being in the fashion business and not offering some word soup that tries to explain away what he has shown.

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To me, the collection is decidedly less sparkly with more prints and alternate methods of ornamentation rather than his usual menu of bugle beads fringe and sequins. Yes, before I even read the review, I took note that he dialed it down for some sort of reality ... as to whether or not I believe or agree there is a new normal, I surely believe that we are not out of the woods yet no matter how you look at present day life.

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That being said, the collection is quite beautiful, meticulously rendered and surely true to the brand’s DNA. There is really no need to explain, you either like it or you don’t. Khan is definitely a rarity these days especially since there was no gobbledygook to precede the collection, just a designer speaking to the very nature of the fashion business... sales and adhering to the DNA of his eponymous brand!

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NAEEM KHAN ...EMBELLISHED ... a review

https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/naeem-khan-embellished

 

 
 

Naeem Khan FALL 2019

Let’s talk about all the things that this collection is about: beads, embellishment, Talitha Getty, Marrakesh, slim, sexy, theatrical, consistent, designed, showy, the most likely successor for this generation’s Bob Mackie.

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Now let’s speak of what it isn’t:  it’s not for everyone, not for the budget minded, it’s an acquired taste, these are not supermarket clothes or yoga clothes, not for the shy and not for the trendoids.

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Clothes that sparkle and shine in every way…. and yes the most fitting of finales of NYFW………… Kudos!

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Naeem Khan fall 2018

Be forewarned that if you are a minimalist this is a collection and review that you should avoid at all costs!

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When it comes to beadwork and execution Naeem Khan is on top of his game. What must be kept in mind is that the design of the embellishments and of this caliber of beadwork is beyond astounding. It doesn’t hurt in the least that the clothes are also exquisitely rendered.

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When a designer does work such as this there’s much more than meets the eye since this is not about sewn on “decals” but beading and embellishments that must be engineered directly to the fabric for each style. 

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With all that said there were so many references involved in the collection that one has to wonder if there was a theme or just a slew of spangly sparkly clothes for women who love to make an entrance and feel like a million dollars. This is not meant as a negative since that statement is based more on reality than fantasy.

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References included pearly kings and queens, geishas, Frida Kahlo, the athleisure trend and of course all that movie star glamour of the golden age of Hollywood. Again these are not discreet clothes but clothes designed to attract attention which is in my opinion unavoidable. 

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At least there is no need of any esoterica or back story just be able to appreciate what you see and to know there is so much more here than meets the eye. From beading to embellishments to fabrications no detail is left unattended.

Naeem Khan NYFW 2017

In a world of Vetements, Raf and wannabe designers by the truck load, there is a man who stands tall, especially when standing on his beadwork! Naeem Khan is THE master of his oeuvre and by that I mean embellishments on steroids. Between the prints, the patterns, the embroideries and the beads we might just say he is the 21^st century incarnation of Bob Mackie which is surely meant as a compliment; the man is all about more is better and in your face clothes.

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Part of what intrigues me about Khan is that the collection, that if dissected, it reveals pieces that more than stand-alone like the leopard patch print raincoat and dress or even the all over floral embroidered dress with matching over the knee boots …. Separate them and there are 4 stellar examples of fabulous. His fringes which have become a signature are of theatricality at its best, the colors as much in your face as the pieces themselves and hell so much of it is so freakin sexy and no … they are not the clothes for women who wish to blend in, they are in fact for those who want to stop a room with an entrance or just sort of travel with you own inner klieg light. 

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The dresses are borderline costume in many ways but they’re are so diametrically opposed to almost everything we see this side of the Atlantic that they become instantly appealing as beacons for workmanship as well as the art and craft of fashion. Khan is far from shy and he is prolific in his output; the clothes require no bah blah blah even though I’m sure they have some underlying inspiration.  YES, these are the clothes that sing out from the rails and scream buy me. How refreshing that you pop them on,  get those lashes on and slide into  your stilettos and you are ready to conquer the world. Well…  no you can’t wear them to the supermarket and not really even to a restaurant but hell they are  good time clothes that almost guarantee the wearer to look and feel beautiful.

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Yes there are clunkers but they are in short supply next to the tsunami of covetable and wearable clothes… oddly enough, some of them might even be considered chic in a flashy kind of way.

Naeem Khan Spring 2016 NYFW

Today 2 of my cardinal rules will be broken. #1 is that it must be said that this show was one of the most professionally staged and choreographed;  the end with 16 models on the runway standing 2 abreast was a sight to behold and forced a memory of how all shows were once staged.. Bravo! … #2 is that the photos come nowhere near the actual beauty of the clothes in person; hands down the photos are pale imitations of the reality. The head wear and hair bore little to no resemblance to what was seen and what was seen was impeccably rendered.

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Mr. Khan does what he does and he does it well. He produces evening and cocktail clothes of the first order. He employs beading with great abandon, a great use in the variety of fabrics synonymous with this category of apparel ( georgette, taffeta, jersey, charmeuse, duchess satin, to name a few), as well as variety of silhouettes that will attract red carpet vamps to mothers of the bride and ALL of them superbly made and conceived for maximum allure. And before I forget, there was this spectrum of color that is sure to delight anyone who yearns to wear something other than just black, white or ecru. Yikes!!  Don’t let me forget to raise up the point of how masterfully and thoughtfully the prints were engineered and how the collection was actually broken down and shown in groupings.

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These are clothes that really go beyond just like or dislike and again after a season, thus far, that has been so rife with excuses for what supposedly passes as fashion, Naeem Khan catches a brass ring!

P.S. special thanks to Timmy whom I met 35 years ago when he was interning where I was sales manager!

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