Tag: Spring 2013

Dean Quinn- Amplified

Dean Quinn’s Spring 2013 collection was a crystal clear expression of what matters to him as a designer. The clothes were clean and fresh, with the right amount of clever construction to make them distinctive. They did not overpower the women wearing them, but complimented and accented their beauty. The design touches echoed an intriguing mix of formality and allure creating clothing that was very attractive. After a bit of a drift the last two seasons, Dean Quinn is beginning to find his voice again, and use it rather loudly.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

Dean Quinn‘s Spring 2013 collection was a crystal clear expression of what matters to him as a designer. The clothes were clean and fresh, with the right amount of clever construction to make them distinctive. They did not overpower the women wearing them, but complimented and accented their beauty. The design touches echoed an intriguing mix of formality and allure creating clothing that was very attractive. After a bit of a drift the last two seasons, Dean Quinn is beginning to find his voice again, and use it rather loudly. Continue reading “Dean Quinn- Amplified”

Blanc de Chine – Pinnacle Silk and Sequins

In much the same way that Western fashion spends a great deal of time updating classic looks, so to do other cultures. But, because the other cultures’ fashion history isn’t familiar to us, the designs often appear fresh and wholly new. So it is with Blanc De Chine, however add into the mix their minimalist construction approach, which creates large sections of clean, flowing, unbroken fabric, and their passionate use of extraordinarily high-end silks, cottons, and sequins, and the final result is elegant and beautiful and different.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Rachel Reneé

In much the same way that Western fashion spends a great deal of time updating classic looks, so to do other cultures. But, because the other cultures’ fashion history isn’t familiar to us, the designs often appear fresh and wholly new. So it is with Blanc De Chine, however add into the mix their minimalist construction approach, which creates large sections of clean, flowing, unbroken fabric, and their passionate use of extraordinarily high-end silks, cottons, and sequins, and the final result is elegant and beautiful and different. Continue reading “Blanc de Chine – Pinnacle Silk and Sequins”

Lyn Devon – Detailing The Difference

Lyn Devon likes to sign her work in small print. It is her finer fabrications that elevate this award-winning artist’s work to the level of true designer fashion. For her Spring 2013 collection, the play in palette and her tremendous work in texture really put the native New Yorker’s collection of day dresses and sporty separates over the top. She is not drawn to wild shapes or crazy cuts. Her work fits nicely in a modern women’s life, but it is those inventive and eye-catching details that make you look twice, even though at second glance you’re still not really sure what you’re being drawn to.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Bonnie Rodríguez

Lyn Devon likes to sign her work in small print. It is her finer fabrications that elevate this award-winning artist’s work to the level of true designer fashion. For her Spring 2013 collection, the play in palette and her tremendous work in texture really put the native New Yorker’s collection of day dresses and sporty separates over the top. She is not drawn to wild shapes or crazy cuts. Her work fits nicely in a modern women’s life, but it is those inventive and eye-catching details that make you look twice, even though at second glance you’re still not really sure what you’re being drawn to.

Continue reading “Lyn Devon – Detailing The Difference”

Reem Acra – Heaven Bent For Leather

Reem Acra is one of those designers who always surprises. Season after season, some major part of what is sent down the runway is remarkably different from past collections in both form and technique, yet the same in passion, creativity and quality. It is like watching Iron Chef, every episode has a secret ingredient. This season she introduced laser-cut leather and went wild and wondrous with its deployment. Ms. Acra, ever the master designer, never pulls the same rabbit out of her hat twice, but you always know it will be a great show.

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by udor and Charles Beckwith

Reem Acra is one of those designers who always surprises. Season after season, some major part of what is sent down the runway is remarkably different from past collections in both form and technique, yet the same in passion, creativity and quality. It is like watching Iron Chef, every episode has a secret ingredient. This season she introduced laser-cut leather and went wild and wondrous with its deployment. Ms. Acra, ever the master designer, never pulls the same rabbit out of her hat twice, but you always know it will be a great show. Continue reading “Reem Acra – Heaven Bent For Leather”

Alejandro Ingelmo – “There is a new kind of sexiness here.”

story by Sia-Alika Battle
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

“There is a new kind of sexiness here,” Alejandro Ingelmo said moments before his presentation. “You have to experiment and look at things at a different angle, because ultimately there are other ways to draw attention to feet without the shoes being super-high.” Continue reading “Alejandro Ingelmo – “There is a new kind of sexiness here.””

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”