My first and last impressions of the Norman Ambrose Spring 2012 show remain that the spirit of the artist and stage designer Tony Duquette must have taken up residence in the creative mind of Mr. Ambrose. There is a prominent level of perfectionism in how the seams are pressed, the hems are pressed, the clothes fit the models, and the tailoring is razor sharp. This collection is soigne, slick, luxe, metallic, and displays beading on top of beading.
story by Jeffrey Felner
photos by Charles Beckwith
My first and last impressions of the Norman Ambrose Spring 2012 show remain that the spirit of the artist and stage designer Tony Duquette must have taken up residence in the creative mind of Mr. Ambrose. There is a prominent level of perfectionism in how the seams are pressed, the hems are pressed, the clothes fit the models, and the tailoring is razor sharp. This collection is soigne, slick, luxe, metallic, and displays beading on top of beading. Continue reading “Norman Ambrose – Spring 2012 Review – Do You Remember What Luxe Looks Like?”
“Everything starts with the fabric, including colors, but for me fabric always trumps. What I mean by that is, if there is a fabric that is a tactile inspiration and its perfect, but it doesn’t come in the color that fits with the collection’s inspiration, it’s out of there, because that’s what you’ll actually be wearing.”
The Jad Ghandour Spring 2012 show in the tents at Lincoln Center took a cue from P.T. Barnum. Bolstering the designer’s “safari” theme, two baby Bengal tigers flanked either side of the mini-runway. “It’s a safari collection. It has a 60s feeling” said the designer backstage before the show. Designing for the “femme fatale,” silk satin, chiffon, and tulle were the ring-masters in the menagerie of looks.
The Jad Ghandour Spring 2012 show in the tents at Lincoln Center took a cue from P.T. Barnum. Bolstering the designer’s “safari” theme, two baby Bengal tigers flanked either side of the mini-runway. “It’s a safari collection. It has a 60s feeling” said the designer backstage before the show. Designing for the “femme fatale,” silk satin, chiffon, and tulle were the ring-masters in the menagerie of looks. Continue reading “Jad Ghandour – Spring 2012 Review – Jungle Fatale”
Timo Weiland’s Spring 2012 was in general a good collection but it had an uncharacteristic feel to it compared to their very sharp presentations of the past two seasons. There were many strong pieces and the team’s growth as designers surely continued, but the collection had a few pieces that felt flat and disconnected from the rest of the collection. An 60’s style baseball jacket and a men’s floral shirt and matching short both felt forced, and a small handful of other pieces lacked the original spark that has vaulted the young designers to their white hot status.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
Timo Weiland‘s Spring 2012 was in general a good collection but it had an uncharacteristic feel to it compared to their very sharp presentations of the past two seasons. There were many strong pieces and the team’s growth as designers surely continued, but the collection had a few pieces that felt flat and disconnected from the rest of the collection. An 60’s style baseball jacket and a men’s floral shirt and matching short both felt forced, and a small handful of other pieces lacked the original spark that has vaulted the young designers to their white hot status. Continue reading “Timo Weiland – Spring 2012 Review – Moving Onto The Runway”
Jen Kao’s collections always have a very pure feel to them. There is a sense of a wide and natural stream that flows unimpeded from her inspiration to her creations. This makes her collections feel charming and unadulterated. Always proceeding from a natural place, Kao’s clothing seems very accurately evocative of her collection’s starting point.
story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
Jen Kao‘s collections always have a very pure feel to them. There is a sense of a wide and natural stream that flows unimpeded from her inspiration to her creations. This makes her collections feel charming and unadulterated. Always proceeding from a natural place, Kao’s clothing seems very accurately evocative of her collection’s starting point. Continue reading “Jen Kao – Spring 2012 Review – Sunrise”
What’s red and black and highly anticipated all over? Katie Gallagher’s Spring 2012 collection is what. The eponymous line’s Red Red Blood was certainly no joke, however. Working with a minimal color palette, namely variations of black and red, Gallagher was able to utterly arrest her audience. A Cold Cave soundtrack sent models coursing through a forest of syrupy, ‘blood-filled’ vials in creations that tucked and billowed. From the zippered hemline of a voluminous skirt, to the surprise back or no back of a top, her adept tailoring was in full force.
story by Lo Gray
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
What’s red and black and highly anticipated all over? Katie Gallagher‘s Spring 2012 collection is what. The eponymous line’s Red Red Blood was certainly no joke, however. Working with a minimal color palette, namely variations of black and red, Gallagher was able to utterly arrest her audience. A Cold Cave soundtrack sent models coursing through a forest of syrupy, ‘blood-filled’ vials in creations that tucked and billowed. From the zippered hemline of a voluminous skirt, to the surprise back or no back of a top, her adept tailoring was in full force. Continue reading “Katie Gallagher – Spring 2012 Review – Gallagher Is Out For Blood”
If prints are personal, then consider Chris Benz as unique as they come. With bold colors in even bolder combinations, the veritable hodge-podge collage of brightness and textures proved his Spring 2012 Collection far from subtle.
The hot-pink coifed Seattle native looked to a different shore for inspiration, namely one home to a renowned Brooklyn amusement park. Benz spoke passionately about his muse during the presentation, largely inspired by “specifically the summer attached to Candy Darling and the Warhol superstars. I love the idea of the Warhol superstars go to Coney Island for a photo-shoot. They’re totally coming undone.”
story by Lo Gray
photos by Adrianna Favero
If prints are personal, then consider Chris Benz as unique as they come. With bold colors in even bolder combinations, the veritable hodge-podge collage of brightness and textures proved his Spring 2012 Collection far from subtle.
The hot-pink coifed Seattle native looked to a different shore for inspiration, namely one home to a renowned Brooklyn amusement park. Benz spoke passionately about his muse during the presentation, largely inspired by “specifically the summer attached to Candy Darling and the Warhol superstars. I love the idea of the Warhol superstars go to Coney Island for a photo-shoot. They’re totally coming undone.”Continue reading “Chris Benz – Spring 2012 Review – Color As Fuel”
Fascinated by the novel The Beautiful and Damned, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dean Quinn sees his woman plainly strutting out of a swimming pool and putting on her evening wear.This take on nautical meets old Hollywood called for wet, slicked back hair, and earth-toned makeup accents (if only we could all look as good as Quinn’s girls when we came out of the pool, drenched and scrambling for the nearest towel).
story by Landon Peoples
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
designer Dean Quinn
Irish-born and London-raised designer Dean Quinn has the Midas touch when it comes to his Spring 2012 sportswear-inspired ready-to-wear collection. Quinn, fascinated by the novel The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, sees his woman plainly strutting out of a swimming pool and putting on her evening wear. This take on nautical meets old Hollywood called for wet, slicked back hair, and earth-toned makeup accents (if only we could all look as good as Quinn’s girls when we came out of the pool, drenched and scrambling for the nearest towel).
When some like it hot, some fall in love with Carlos Miele. The Brazilian designer’s “Immersive Landscape” collection was on fire, sending the runway temperatures to dangerous levels. With a cue of the music, the audience was instantly transported to hotter and chicer climates, where, say, wearing white swimsuits never abides by post-Labor Day standards, and cocktails are always served with a side of leg.
story by Lo Gray
photos by Pete Cameron Dominkovits
When some like it hot, some fall in love with Carlos Miele. The Brazilian designer’s “Immersive Landscape” collection was on fire, sending the runway temperatures to dangerous levels. With a cue of the music, the audience was instantly transported to hotter and chicer climates, where, say, wearing white swimsuits never abides by post-Labor Day standards, and cocktails are always served with a side of leg. Continue reading “Carlos Miele – Spring 2012 Review – Brazilian Heatwave”
As an homage to the enchanting beauty and splendor of the tulip, Tadashi Shoji’s Spring 2012 conveyed their myriad variety and vibrancy perfectly as the show transitioned from the first to the final looks. It was like watching the life of a tulip from beginning to end. Starting with fitted pieces resembling newly blossomed tulips petals, transitioning into flowing pieces that get brighter and more lively as the collection progressed.
story by Ashley Roberts
photos by Pete Cameron Dominkovits
editing assistant Sierra Baskind
As an homage to the enchanting beauty and splendor of the tulip, Tadashi Shoji‘s Spring 2012 conveyed their myriad variety and vibrancy perfectly as the show transitioned from the first to the final looks. It was like watching the life of a tulip from beginning to end. Starting with fitted pieces resembling newly blossomed tulips petals, transitioning into flowing pieces that get brighter and more lively as the collection progressed. Continue reading “Tadashi Shoji – Spring 2012 – A Japanese Master Paints Dutch Flowers”
