NEW YORK — On Thursday I headed to the much-anticipated Ralph Lauren show.
Let me tell you, the fashion show started long before the first model
hit the runway. The people in attendance were fashion. There was so
much fashion eye candy in the room, I thought I’d pass out.
Can
you imagine being in a room with the people who really set the trends
— magazine editors, buyers, celebrities and socialites?
Most
people don’t realize there is a difference between Ralph Lauren’s
fashion lines. We’re not talking about polo shirts and rugbies.
People were dressed to the nines, paying homage to Lauren by wearing
his blazers, jodhpurs, belts, handbags and riding boots. Think Town
& Country elegance. Every person in the room could have walked the
catwalk.
Lauren’s collection paid tribute to the working class by featuring denim that was a fresh take on Americana.
My favorites were an overall-inspired evening gown in ice blue lame.
The top part of the dress looked like traditional overalls, but then
the bottom half was long and flowy.
I had a fashion orgasm when I saw the denim-beaded skinny jeans.
His
line has something for every woman, from the fashionista to the
businesswoman who wants to kick butt in a killer suit and take names
later.
His objective was to create affordable fashion for the
everyday woman, and he did it. I loved it so much that, believe it or
not, it brought tears to my eyes — yes tears. Need I say more.
Celeb sightings: Janet Jackson, Lily Allen and Vogue editor, Andre Leon Talley.
We finished our day with the Trias show at the big tent, then Naeem Khan at a private showroom.
The
Trias show featured models wearing avantguard tubular-styled dresses
and skirts. Imagine wearing a cone and both your legs are squeezing
through the pointed end.
The models looked miserable trying to
walk in those dresses. It was so difficult that one model actually lost
her shoe. You know it’s bad when the magazine editors on the front row
are snickering throughout the show. Most people sat with their mouths
wide open the entire time.
Naeem Khan’s collection featured
glamorous red carpet-styled dresses. Think long flowing sequined and
beaded gowns in every color imaginable.
His wife, Ranjana Khan, a
jewelry designer, stole the show. Her jewelry was on display in a
boudoir filled with hundreds of colorful fresh flowers and real
butterflies (photo below). Yes, real butterflies.
It felt like I was
transported into a fairytale garden, except there were scantily dressed
woman lying on Victorian-styled furniture wearing jewelry.
On an
opposite side of the room was a wall of old Victorian photographs with
the jewels mounted onto the pictures to looked like the woman were
really wearing them.
The overwhelming smell of flowers, with the
butterflies flying about, was a visual delight. Oh, yeah, and her
Victorian-style jewelry was pretty too.
This year most designers tried to bring spring fashion back to the basics. I think we can all appreciate that.
Most
realize that people are being more budget conscious and want clothes
that are wearable. Although high fashion starts on the runway in cities
like New York and Paris, it eventually trickles down the average
consumer.
Next season, I’d love to see more black models on the
runway. This year, there were only a couple, like Chanel Iman and
Sessilee Lopez who work consistently. The fashion industry can do
better than that.
I’m looking forwarding to New York Fashion Week Fall 2010 in February, bring it on!
