Carolina Herrera: a Korean vibe and a glamour garden

Some designers consistently find a way to take your breath away.  Herrera is one of them.  Her Monday morning show, inspired by traditional clothes from Korea, and embellished with stunning flowers from 18th century botanical plates, served up the high society verve she is known for, along with a heavy portion of pretty.

Silhouettes went from slim — a sexy-sleek hibiscus bird print cocktail dress, precise narrow pencil skirts emblazoned with gigantic flowers — to floaty — from the super-wide-legged Aikido pants to massive (and stunning) ball gowns — one with a stiff black bodice emblazoned with flowers.  Oh, the drama! 

To enhance the female form, many models' waists were wrapped and double-wrapped — high fashion taekwondo-style.  And for runway punch, Korean gats — traditional Korean men’s hats — were worn throughout the show. Quite the visual.  A few dresses featured large, frontal fabric tabs — these seemed excessive.  But besides that, the show was stellar.