story and photos by Sandy Ramirez
In the 172 years of it’s existence, Tiffany’s had never once hosted a fashion show on their main floor. On April 5 th, 2009, the final day of presentations during the New York Bridal Market Week, Carolina Herrera showed her Fall 2009 Bridal collection, in conjunction with the unveiling of a spectacular new engagement ring personally created by the designer.
Backstage, the synergy was building as the models and dressers prepared for the show. Coordination was paramount as the runway, seating, lighting, and other amenities would not be put into place until after Tiffany’s had closed it’s doors for regular business. With only 30 minutes to transform the main floor of Tiffany’s into a showcase of bridal design before Fashion’s Illuminati arrived, there was little room for error.
What walked down between the aisles of jewelry on display did not disappoint. Quite simply, Mrs. Herrera sent what is simply the best collection of gowns shown all this season this for this fall in my opinion. Nothing in the Couture shows earlier in Paris, or the gowns shown during the various Ready To Wear shows in February could match this (with the possible exception of Zac Posen’s collection). Each gown was inspired by a painter of the French Expressionist period of the late 19 th Century. One could see the spirit of the works of Van Gogh, Monet, Matise, Latrec, and Goya as each piece walked down the aisle. It was as if The Louvre had come to life, its treasures walking and breathing before the audience.
As the last gown walked passed the famed Tiffany Diamond, Carolina came out for a bow. The final Bridal show of Market Week had come to it’s close, and Carolina Herrera stood alone amongst all of the bridal designers who had presented that weekend, a master who presented nothing short of masterpieces woven from tulle and a nearly palpable brilliance.
