Fashion Week: Opening day features pretty dresses
Photo credit: AP | The spring 2010 collection of designer Monique Lhuillier is presented during Fashion Week in New York City on Thursday.
Whitney Eve at New York Fashion Week
BCBG Max Azria Runway at New York Fashion Week
Jillian Lewis Spring 2010 at Fashion Week
Celebs at New York Fashion Week
BCBG Max Azria: Spring 2010
Jillian Lewis: Spring 2010
All a-flutter
Spring breezed into Bryant Park Thursday, with opening day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week offering up pretty dresses with hems of many lengths fluttering down the runways at BCBG, Michael Angel and Ports 1961.
Michael Angel
Aussie designer Michael Angel's playful, graphic spring runway drew inspiration from strong, influential women like Nancy Cunard and Josephine Baker.
Bold prints included abstract florals and faceted gems, and several ensembles featured heavy doses of bling on sleeves, collars and the best, Swarovski-embellished zippers that were subtle and swank.
Skirts were sculptural affairs, sometimes protruding in places women don't want to - eek - and some were flasher short (maybe the devilish wears Angel). The hem story was unpredictable - you never knew where the dress or skirt would fall.
Overall, the collection was quirky and pretty and the designer's spring forecast is upbeat. "There is fun to be had this spring 2010," his program notes blared. Yippee!
BCBG Runway
It was a lovely all-dress parade that marched down designer Max Azria's runway, featuring bold colors, graceful movement and, in many cases, a wearability that will be welcome next spring. There were stunning abstract prints - much in pool blue - and strong pops of color such as fuchsia and teal, as well as some must-have neutrals.
T-shirt-style dresses featured asymmetrical hems that fluttered prettily, as did several scarfy numbers. Azria seemed to reach into his bag of Herve Leger tricks (that's his line, too), pulling out some super body-conscious jobs. Lengths went from super mini (eesh, one poor model in purple had her dress taped to her thighs) to billowy maxi jobs, and two gowns in black and white might make it onto the Emmy red carpet.
PORTS 1961
The invitations were fans, the influence clearly Asian, at designer Tia Cibani's Ports 1961 show. Models wearing slashes of red eye shadow floated down the runway in whisper-colored confections - conch, talc and the palest lavender, touched here and there with a blast of cherry and the shimmer of lamé.
There were simple body-skimming sheaths that looked basic enough until you saw the backs - some amped up with strong blossom prints, others artfully draped - perfect for making a dramatic exit.
If there was a misstep in this serene show, it was the pants, unflattering harem jobs that had you wondering who the heck would wear 'em. Also, wacky, towering shoes led to lots of wobbly ankles - one model kicked them off and walked barefoot.
