Jonathan Simkhai Spring/Summer 2016.

09/13/2015.

Jonathan SImkhai Spring/Summer 2016.

Mothers and Grandma's usually say, "If you haven't anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" an axiom that in the case of Jonathan Simkhai's over designed and bewildering Spring '16 collection would seem to be apt. Also apropo, "The less said, the better" The collection stumbled out of the blocks and only got more tacky, tasteless and confusingly Arty and Crafty from there, from the unfortunate midriff baring ensembles to the boxy and unfailingly unflattering cuts, to some God Awful design choices (oversized White Rickrack trim? Really?) Simkhai seemed to not know which direction to steer his craft, and in the end, capsized in the middle of treacherous waters and drowned under his own heavy handed excess. With nearly nary a buoy to offer any respite from the cavalcade of quizzically flamboyant fare on display, it was hard to find any moment as a touchstone to save the mess from being a complete and total failure. It was a disaster, from stem to stern. 

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Prabal Gurung Spring/Summer 2016.

09/14/2015.

Prabal Gurung Spring/Summer 2016.

One might have wished that the praying monks, at the beginning of the show, prayers had been more for Prabal Gurung's Spring 2016 collection to be a better outing than it turned out to be. Instead, the uneven collection veered from eccentric overindulgence to shapeless and unflattering design and sometimes, all at once. Gurung gleaned inspiration from Nepalese artist Laxman Shreshtha and the Hindu celebration Holi in his colour palette, to little effect on the figure widening shapes he paraded down his catwalk. No woman wants to wear a piece of clothing that looks, unsuccessfully, like it's hiding excess poundage, yet, Gurung's sack like silhouettes did exactly that, even on the rail thin models wearing them. 

When Gurung did tighten up his silhouettes he reaped far more illustrious dividends, key examples, the pair of bias Chiffon gowns in palest Apricot Pink and Butter Yellow were marvels of sinuous ease and glamour. Save the finale trio of gowns and a couple of other successes, Gurung delivered a showing that was far from his best effort and one that needed far more intention of thought and greater degree of execution to make it soar to the lofty heights that Gurung was hoping perhaps to scale. 

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Edun Spring/Summer 2016.

09/14/2015.

Edun Spring/Summer 2016.

Ali Hewson and her famous husband, U2 frontman, Bono, have dedicated themselves to making sustainable fashion a thing that not only is fashionable, but fashion forward as well, enlisting Danielle Sherman to execute her vision through their altruistic prism. With all the clothes made on the African continent and using sustainable materials and native artisans and handwork, the collection is not only a step in so many right directions, but a beacon of what truly can be achieved in the fashion industry when one tries to make a real impact and difference. 

That however, in the wrong hands, does not always translate into great fashion, and while Sherman had some highs in the collection that elevated it into a very stylish stratosphere, the collection, inspired in equal parts by the ceremonial dance costumes of the Kuba Kingdom and Sophie Taeuber-Arp, a Dadaist performance artist from the 30's, was uneven and unduly repetitive and drab. Save some punches of Orange and Red, the collection veered into the maudlin colour-wise, which failed to elevate the boxy and oft times, shapeless silhouettes beyond the mundane or even worse, swung towards a more hayseed unsophistication. 

One could appreciate what Sherman was trying to achieve, she just didn't achieve it in a way that made one think twice about what one had seen presented. If not, forgettable, the collection was certainly not, memorable. 

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Diane Von Furstenberg Spring/Summer 2016.

 09/14/2015.

Diane Von Furstenberg Spring/Summer 2016.

It's notable to say that at the time of this show in 2015, that DVF was in the midst of celebrating the 40th anniversary of her introduction of the highly recognizable and world changing Wrap Dress she created. So, in that celebratory mood, one could have only expected a High-Energy and joyfully upbeat and optimistic collection, and one would have not been at all disappointed in that expectation. Seriously pretty and feminine colours, saucy sexiness and a lot of wrapping were the most obvious hallmarks, as well as a effortless and breezy 70's Studio 54 vibe that was articulated with uncommon facility, due perhaps to the singular fact that most of that vibe that was created during that time was accomplished due to the fashions DVF set upon the world stage in the era. So, a backwards glance at her own work but not in a referential way, instilled the collection with a brilliant sense of "Flashback" but not in a nostalgic or sentimental way. The feeling was very much of it's moment, yet suffused with a knowing wink to her own history.

Von Fusrtenberg has always had a sure and steady hand with prints and this collection, named "Fortvna" after the Roman Goddess of the same name, was replete with beautiful mish-mashes and patchworking together of beautifully eye-catching prints. From Karlie Kloss' opening number in two differing prints to the delicately naïf Butterfly print that appeared early on a milky White background and at the conclusion of the show in Black. Aside from the prints, the hothouse colours were also joyously buoyant and reached a high water mark in Tami Williams' exit, which also embodied the Goddess aspect of the collection in spades, a draped Goldenrod and Hot Pink crepe/chiffon number that moved like flowing water over Williams' lithe frame. 

DVF put forth an assured and highly desirable collection that touched heavily on her own past and history yet never referentially so, it always felt in this moment, which then gave it a modernity without veering too far from what DVF is known for. No one is expecting Von Furstenberg to reinvent her own wheel, when the wheel is doing pretty damn fine just as it is, but a gentle tweaking and advancing of those tropes is exactly the right tack to take and Von Furstenberg showed a steady and confident hand in updating her own invention to the current mode, and in doing so, keeps her label fresh and relevant. This collection was prime example of why Von Furstenberg has been around in this arena for 40 years!

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Tracy Reese Spring/Summer 2016.

Sun. 09/13/2015.

Tracy Reese Spring/Summer 2016.

Tracy Reese took a newly bold and adventurous approach to her dazzling and eclectic Spring '16 collection that was a total home run in the sense of boldness and excitement and a much needed and progressive move forward into more experimental and forward thinking fashion. Where as in the past, there has been a pronounced romantic and vintage-y vibe being mined chez Maison Reese, here that vibe was evident still, signature style and all, but it was focused through a now more current and even avant lens that added a serious amount of vigour and renewed energy to her flirtatious and retro looks. 

Boldness was a key word for the day as was fearless, Reese delivered more punch in both the hues on display and the styling of the looks, there was this season, a something of a Mad Max meets Bohemienne flavour, romantic yet tough as nails. It was a striking and odd synthesis that never once faltered or failed,. each exit seemed to be telling a page from a greater, yet purposely enigmatic tale. A truly loud look of a flou rich Aqua maxi dress surmounted by a filmy gauzy layer of whisper light Lace in the same shade was casual and romance laden without being treacly or wan. A trio of Greens, comprising a sturdy trench coat that was rendered in a delicate Lace and paired with bermudas and a low bateau neck top underneath had a serious urban streetwear vibe but felt relaxed and upbeat, not like a forbidding armor to shield oneself. 

As for Reese's always assured and unwavering hand in evening, partake of a throwback glamourous look in fishtail skirted White Lace that would look equally as stunning on someone like Charlize Theron or Jean Harlow. Or, the peak of offhanded luxe, a drapey Gunmetal sequined top worn over a brocaded fishtail skirt that reeked of modern Hollywood, but again, was working a serious tough, yet chic groove. In the end, Reese gave us a command performance of impeccable and faultless modernity swathed in her signature romance that never once felt like she was compromising who she really is or paying empty hearted obeisance to current trends and fads. In that sense, her collection while wholly and resolutely of the minute, was also unerringly timeless, a tricky balancing act to be sure, yet one Reese accomplished swimmingly and with apparent gusto! 

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Rachel Zoe Spring/Summer 2016.

Sun. 09/13/2015.

Raachel Zoe Spring/Summer 2016.

Rachel Zoe is gonna be Rachel Zoe, no matter what! She knows what she likes and she knows how to design the best and most persuasive versions of those things. Her vision is unwavering, though not rigid, and that is why her collections usually are always if not groundbreaking, great showcases of the evolution of singular ideas that define the Rachel Zoe aesthetic. Spring/Summer 2016 was no exception and cemented as it does in perpetuity, how Zoe sees herself and her woman. She's a mix of Ali McGraw and Bianca Jagger with a definite cupful of California Surfer girl thrown in. Yet, this girl is the apotheosis of this idea, not an amalgam, in the end, Rachel Zoe's woman, is Zoe herself, quintessential L.A. but with a NY state of mind. 

Her Spring '16 collection was chock full of luscious and sexy offerings for the Modern It Girl, from flowing layers and bohemienne dresses to outright sexy yet, restrained and elegant glam. Zoe isn't pushing any envelopes, and really in the end, it would be definitely to her own enrichment as a designer to step away from her tried and true formulas and extend herself in more risky ways. As it lays, her output is predictable, yet it is so honed and laser focused that it's hard to find flaw with it. Hopefully, in the future, Zoe will step out of her comfort zone and do something totally outside herself, it may just pay off richer dividends in the end. 

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Elie Tahari Spring/Summer 2016.

Sun. 09/13/2015.

Elie Tahari Spring/Summer 2016.

Elie Tahari floaty and bohemian Spring 2016 collection looked like it was surely on it's way to Burning Man or Coachella but was destined to be adorned by the mother or Uptown Hippie aunt of the younger person they were tagging along with. It was a sophisticated, and pretty collection rendered in almost exclusively shades of White, Black and Taupe. It wasn't groundbreaking by any sense, but it was a romantic and enchanting vision of the Uptown urban nomad, not one so much of the Chelsea or Soho set, but more like the less rich inhabitants of the Upper West Side. A beautiful and wafting opening number in White was perhaps the best outfit in the show, everything else had a distinct flavour of "Been There" Tahari isn't known for breaking boundaries and pushing himself to the extreme of his capabilities, he doesn't have to, he has a huge Well-Heeled clientele all over the world and doesn't need to rock the boat, this collection for him was a step outside his comfort zone and felt like a move in the right direction, but ultimately, it looked too much still like the wardrobe that was in the pages of fashion magazines in the 90's and not of this moment, and not of the moment in 2015 when it was shown for 2016. Timeless can be good, but stuck in time is a totally different animal. 

That's All.

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