Mercury Style Award winner Nili Lotan presented her Spring ’08 collection last night to an impressive crowd in the Chelsea area. After being picked up in our chauffered Mercury car, we met up with blogger Julia Coney from All About the Pretty. We enjoyed mingling and free samples of Sunsilk products before the presentation.
Lotan’s fabrics were lush and the silhouettes very sexy. Born in Isreal, the show notes say that Lotan expresses her sensibility to the region throughout her work, incorporating related design elements. She prides herself on pure design, expert tailoring, and rich materials. One of the most unique aspects of the show was her pairing of traditional suiting elements with more casual pieces, sometimes even swimsuits. It might not be the most wearable style, but it adds variety to the traditional separates and dresses on the runway.
Prints popped and preppy prevailed at the Milly by Michelle Smith fashion show. The designer’s Connecticut roots were apparent in the cable cardigans delicately draped over shoulders and looks best suited to tennis or drinks at the club. The palette was kept simple in mostly white, navy, green and yellow. It would be easy to emulate this look with a quick trip to your local departments store’s Tommy Hilfiger and Polo Ralph Lauren sections. Michelle’s Paris and New York inspirations were a little harder to glimpse. But, the collection was very wearable and features some sophisticated silhouettes in graphic prints that were truly lovely.
The Katie Stern Venexiana show started out with a parade of very similar looking nautical pieces that looked a little too 40s inspired to really be considered “inspired.” Some almost looked like costumes from a period drama. But the looks got better and better as the show went on. Next up were some pretty florals with metallic accented fabric. Then, the best part of the show–the evening pieces. It would be lovely to see some Venexiana on the red carpet this year, and they definitely have the dresses for it.
Spring continues to be about a defined waist amidst a floaty, ethereal fabric at BCBG Max Azria as you can see in the video above. But, the shapes are much less boho and sloppy, and more ladylike with pleats and pintucking details at waists and sleeves. And anyone who told you the dress was over flat out lied And the pockets in those dresses? No longer hidden surprises, they are very deliberate and exaggerated. If this will look attractive on anyone but a model is yet to be seen. The colors were a bit drab, but it did make those pieces with a bit more saturated hue – some purples, blue, and metallic – pop.
Catching only a glimpse at the fashions, as I was invited backstage by Redken, I was blown away by the naturally beautiful and very talented Abaete fashion designer, Laura Poretzky, and her elegant Jackie-O-esque couture. Indicative of Laura’s own lady-like-with-an-edge aura, the designs were very feminine and form-fitting, including curve-hugging halters and dresses, some accented with an oversized flower. Her major color scheme for spring was turquoise and white, as well as lots of navy and black trim and thin black-and-white stripes. As a huge fan of Jackie-O and retro-chic style, I absolutely adore this collection.
Fashionistas frightened by the return to more structured fashions for fall can breathe a sigh of relief come spring. And that breath will be easier to take since their diaphragm will once more be released from high-waisted pants and slim, constricting pencil skirts. Spring continued to be a season of voluminous, flowy tunics-cum-dresses, but in a really fresh, modern silhouette at the Form fashion show at The Yard and Gallery at the Soho Grand. While the shapes were innovative, the fabrics and textures were a bit one-note and it would have been nice to see a bit more variety. The ethereal silvery-ivory-white might have been even more powerful if contrasted with some other colors, but it at least shows daring and a cohesive vision from designer Jerry Tam.
From:Pictures: 2012 British Soap Awards - Best dressed, Michelle Keegan, Jennifer Metcalf and more