Category: Shows and Events

Katya Leonovich – Exotic Exposure

For Spring 2013 Katya Leonovich is displaying her signature use of bright, swirling colors in jewel tones, and added some inventive play with large open asymmetrical spaces that exposed skin in a way that was enjoyably sensual rather than overtly sexual. A few of the pieces suffered under the weight of overly designed elements, such as exaggerated shoulders and overbust corsets, but in general Ms. Leonovich is moving in the direction of less is more, which will only serve to expose and enhance what is obviously a unique and refreshing point of view.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by udor

For Spring 2013 Katya Leonovich is displaying her signature use of bright, swirling colors in jewel tones, and added some inventive play with large open asymmetrical spaces that exposed skin in a way that was enjoyably sensual rather than overtly sexual. A few of the pieces suffered under the weight of overly designed elements, such as exaggerated shoulders and overbust corsets, but in general Ms. Leonovich is moving in the direction of less is more, which will only serve to expose and enhance what is obviously a unique and refreshing point of view.

Monique Lhuillier – Where Did You Get Those Prints?!

The runway show for Monique Lhuillier’s Spring 2013 collection opened with tight and sexy slick cuts using prints that looked like snakeskin from a distance, but turned out to be elegantly arranged symmetrical wave, wing, and swirl patterns when the looks came closer. The hem of the first long dress danced freely, animated by the model’s footfalls to project an unencumbered feeling. The next one had more of a lightly sashaying silky glide. Again and again the long dresses just flowed down the bodies of the models, like second skins. Ms. Lhuillier has a command of fabric like a master puppeteer. A particular black lace number was just *slink slink slink* all the way out to the end of the runway and back. So sexy.

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by udor

The runway show for Monique Lhuillier’s Spring 2013 collection opened with tight and sexy slick cuts using prints that looked like snakeskin from a distance, but turned out to be elegantly arranged symmetrical wave, wing, and swirl patterns when the looks came closer. The hem of the first long dress danced freely, animated by the model’s footfalls to project an unencumbered feeling. The next one had more of a lightly sashaying silky glide. Again and again the long dresses just flowed down the bodies of the models, like second skins. Ms. Lhuillier has a command of fabric like a master puppeteer. A particular black lace number was just *slink slink slink* all the way out to the end of the runway and back. So sexy. Continue reading “Monique Lhuillier – Where Did You Get Those Prints?!”

Gemma Kahng – Drifting Off To The Country

When I began the interview with designer Gemma Kahng, having looked around the presentation before speaking with the designer, I asked how many collections she had produced, thinking this was a second or third season misstep for an emerging designer, forgetting that I had looked up her previous work the night before. It was nothing so sparing, and this collection was so far off the mark from her previous shows of strength it was almost unreal. Gemma Kahng found popularity in the 1990s, but lost it for a while, then had a fairly strong comeback with her Fall 2011 GenArt runway show, which got significant positive press, and has shown strong work for three seasons. However, with this Spring 2013 collection, she seems to have again gone off the tracks.

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by udor

When I began the interview with designer Gemma Kahng, having looked around the presentation before speaking with the designer, I asked how many collections she had produced, thinking this was a second or third season misstep for an emerging designer, forgetting that I had looked up her previous work the night before. It was nothing so sparing, and this collection was so far off the mark from her previous shows of strength it was almost unreal. Gemma Kahng found popularity in the 1990s, but lost it for a while, then had a fairly strong comeback with her Fall 2011 GenArt runway show, which got significant positive press, and has shown strong work for three seasons. However, with this Spring 2013 collection, she seems to have again gone off the tracks. Continue reading “Gemma Kahng – Drifting Off To The Country”

Rachel Antonoff Is In The Garden

When was the last time you were invited to a proper garden party, with pink lemonade, finger sandwiches, and badminton? And when was the last time such a locale was to be found downtown Manhattan and not 500 feet from the West Side Highway? If you were lucky enough to pack into Rachel Antonoff’s very popular presentation of charming, uber-cool, you’d have the answer to both those questions.

story by Lisa Radano
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

When was the last time you were invited to a proper garden party, with pink lemonade, finger sandwiches, and badminton? And when was the last time such a locale was to be found downtown Manhattan and not 500 feet from the West Side Highway? If you were lucky enough to pack into Rachel Antonoff’s very popular presentation of charming, uber-cool, you’d have the answer to both those questions. Continue reading “Rachel Antonoff Is In The Garden”

threeASFOUR – One Amazing Show

There is a mathematical precision to a threeASFOUR design which is really remarkable. The legendary team, Adi, Gabi & Ange, exposed their guiding principle while chatting after the show, telling me, “we follow the shapes of nature, so we never go wrong.”

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Charles Beckwith

There is a mathematical precision to a threeASFOUR design which is really remarkable. The legendary team, Adi, Gabi & Ange, exposed their guiding principle while chatting after the show, telling me, “we follow the shapes of nature, so we never go wrong.”

Continue reading “threeASFOUR – One Amazing Show”

Ruffian On Approach

“We wanted to take couture to the street… dress our friends,” said Brian Wolk, co-designer with Claude Morais, of Ruffian. By the look of the Spring 2013 collection, they could be friends with Marie Antoinette, if she was around now and living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Ruffian’s exuberant, frothy, pastel collection was marched down the runway by models wearing the streetest of NYC footwear, Chuck Taylors – and if not for these solid sneakers grounding the wildly feminine clothes, they might have floated up and away.

story by Lisa Radano
photos by Rachel Reneé

“We wanted to take couture to the street… dress our friends,” said Brian Wolk, co-designer with Claude Morais, of Ruffian. By the look of the Spring 2013 collection, they could be friends with Marie Antoinette, if she was around now and living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Ruffian’s exuberant, frothy, pastel collection was marched down the runway by models wearing the streetest of NYC footwear, Chuck Taylors – and if not for these solid sneakers grounding the wildly feminine clothes, they might have floated up and away. Continue reading “Ruffian On Approach”

Houghton – Sexy on The Roof

On a deck of The Standard Hotel, overlooking The High Line in the late summer sun, I watched as the wind picked up quite suddenly. Anything not taped down, including champagne flutes, had dedicated minions running chase to prevent disaster. Did that frazzle Katharine Polk, designer of Houghton? No way. “I’m a very positive person. When the people who work with me come running up to me telling me there’s some sort of problem, I always say, oh no no. No problem. What can I say? I’m just an optimistic girl.” Sure enough, that problem wind settled down just in time, as did the audience on their benches. Magic hour gave a golden halo to the models that stepped cautiously but optimistically onto the tree-lined runway.

story by Lisa Radano
photos by udor

On a deck of The Standard Hotel, overlooking The High Line in the late summer sun, I watched as the wind picked up quite suddenly. Anything not taped down, including champagne flutes, had dedicated minions running chase to prevent disaster. Did that frazzle Katharine Polk, designer of Houghton? No way. “I’m a very positive person. When the people who work with me come running up to me telling me there’s some sort of problem, I always say, ‘oh no no. No problem.’ What can I say? I’m just an optimistic girl.” Sure enough, that problem wind settled down just in time, as did the audience on their benches. Magic hour gave a golden halo to the models that stepped cautiously but optimistically onto the tree-lined runway. Continue reading “Houghton – Sexy on The Roof”

Chado Ralph Rucci… Supernova

Seth Friedermann and I walked in backstage at the Chado Ralph Rucci Spring 2013 show and were immediately surrounded by color and wonder. Ushered up to the designer, where he was standing, smiling broadly and looking physically renewed, in the middle of his collection on dozens of huge garment racks, ready to go onto his fleet of statuesque models a few minutes later, it was like being pushed out of Kansas into Oz. I started with the most simple and complex question you can ask a designer, “what is new? What has changed from your last collection?” Mr. Rucci paused for a moment and then started to unfold the story of this new world of color he was about to unveil in the largest tent at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. . .

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by udor and Charles Beckwith

Seth Friedermann and I walked in backstage at the Chado Ralph Rucci Spring 2013 show and were immediately surrounded by color and wonder. Ushered up to the designer, where he was standing, smiling broadly and looking physically renewed, in the middle of his collection on dozens of huge garment racks, ready to go onto his fleet of statuesque models a few minutes later, it was like being pushed out of Kansas into Oz. I started with the most simple and complex question you can ask a designer, “what is new? What has changed from your last collection?” Mr. Rucci paused for a moment and then started to unfold the story of this new world of color he was about to unveil in the largest tent at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. . . Continue reading “Chado Ralph Rucci… Supernova”

Suno – Off The Path?

As a fashion label, Suno came about in an odd way. Filmmaker Max Osterweis created the brand with designer Erin Beatty, with the intention of sourcing textiles from developing nations, to give desperate communities an economic boost from the production and export of culturally-tied textiles. In the Spring 2013 collection, you can see a lot of hard work went into making the base elements of some of the garments, and there were some beautiful dresses, but several looks were still far from high end, and the collection didn’t seem to have a core concept stylistically.

story and photos by Charles Beckwith

As a fashion label, Suno came about in an odd way. Filmmaker Max Osterweis created the brand with designer Erin Beatty, with the intention of sourcing textiles from developing nations, to give desperate communities an economic boost from the production and export of culturally-tied textiles. In the Spring 2013 collection, you can see a lot of hard work went into making the base elements of some of the garments, and there were some beautiful dresses, but several looks were still far from high end, and the collection didn’t seem to have a core concept stylistically. Continue reading “Suno – Off The Path?”

Erin Barr – Did Marilyn Monroe Meet Frank Stella?

Did Frank Stella ever meet Maryiln Monroe? Did they ever find one another across a crowded party in some smoky Greenwich Village walk-up? Did they hang out and trade ideas or have a romantic but intellectual rendez vous? These are the questions Erin Barr poses in this smart, well-edited Spring 2012 collection, her third season.

story by Lisa Radano
photos by Charles Beckwith

Did Frank Stella ever meet Marilyn Monroe? Did they ever find one another across a crowded party in some smoky Greenwich Village walk-up? Did they hang out and trade ideas or have a romantic but intellectual rendez vous? These are the questions Erin Barr poses in this smart, well-edited Spring 2012 collection, her third season. Continue reading “Erin Barr – Did Marilyn Monroe Meet Frank Stella?”