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Skin isn’t in at Fashion Week
Monique Lhuillier
Red-carpet princess Monique Lhuillier turned out a series of pretty dresses that are sure to make her starlets happy.
The spring collection, however, strayed from the volume and all the jeweled embellishment that have been her hallmark in recent seasons, instead offering mostly sophisticated, fluid looks.
The last look might have been the best example: a black chiffon gown with a fitted corset bodice and a draped skirt that came together in a bow at the waist. There were plenty of more colorful options, including seafoam-colored chiffon strapless gown with draping all over the top — down below the hips — and then a billowy handkerchief hem and a nude-colored chiffon crisscross draped bodice gown.
These fashion confections — inspired by Laduree macaroons — carried through to some outstanding daytime outfits, including a light yellow metallic tweed suit with a shawl-collar jacket and a slim pencil skirt worn with a cream-colored V-neck halter blouse with ruffles down the front.
But even when you’re dealing with such dainty, delicate details, there can be too much of a good thing and one dress — a one-shoulder tulle gown with seemingly endless tiers covered with light green flowers — was just too much of everything.
Anna Sui
There’s been a lot of talk about happy, sunny clothes as spring collections are previewed on the runway. But, until the Anna Sui show Monday night, there hadn’t been many signs of happy, sunny models.
Apparently all it takes to make the catwalkers come to life are colorful wigs, playful clothes and a soundtrack that includes the old Andrews Sisters hit “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
The first look on the runway was a bolero with black sequins, a multicolored diamond-print blouse and plaid shorts. Is someone likely to wear it to work next season? Probably not, but it sure looks good on the runway.
For those who are indeed looking for Sui to provide real-world wardrobe solutions, she offered a plaid jacket-and-jumpsuit set — worn with a colorful print blouse underneath — as well as a white-and-black, Art Deco-themed dress. For parties, there were several pairs of flutter shorts with tiers of ruffles on the behind and a shirtdress with a plaid pattern featured on a sheer fabric.
A black-and-white striped sateen coat worn with a bow blouse and white linen shorts had a 1970s vibe, as well as many of the scarf-and shirtdresses done in prints with bold colors.
Carmen Marc Valvo
Carmen Marc Valvo is a consistent source of gala-worthy eveningwear and splashy swimwear, so what was unexpected was the strength of the daywear.
Two of the best outfits on the runway at the Bryant Park tents were a raw-silk officer’s jacket in a sandy color with gold buttons, worn with a brown organza blouse with a cascading ruffle down the front and a tropical wool “mariner’s” pants that hit mid-calf, and super-sophisticated organza trench coat in a light oyster color. The coat was paired with an attractive brief-style navy swimsuit, but it actually seemed a waste of such a good topper.
In his notes, Valvo said he aimed to craft clothes to dress the sirens of the sea, tempting them with seashell colors and mimicking the ocean’s ripples with ruffles.
White silk gazar made a strapless corset with fanlike pleats light and airy, and it looked chic with black cocktail pants — a pleasant break from the harder-to-wear cocktail shorts that have seem to have been all over other catwalks.
Valvo’s dresses included a cerulean-blue cocktail dress with pleated ribbon appliques and a delicate white gown with a feminine ruffled back.
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