Where To Start! Well... Weds. Seems Like A Good Place! Josie Natori

Weds. 09/04/2013:


Josie Natori.

The first MAJOR Show of the week was the also the First Runway show for the more than 30+ year Vet, The Sublime Josie Natori! The Collection was quite Lovely, Very Asian Inspired, with many Kimono effects and affectations, but also modern enough to get the urban Woman on the go interested enough to invest in some of the pieces!

The Collections Opening Salvo was an array of Beige Tones from Deep to Pale with Interesting subtleties to give them some life, A Cropped Kimono Sleeve on the Opening Exit, An Asymmetric Hemline on Exit No. 5 that was actually rather beautiful and lovely. The Not-So-Subtle side draping of a Blouse on Exit No. 6. After this Ms. Natori gave us a few Shimmery, Shiny Metallic-Lite Pieces that even when that Metallic shine was used in Black it was Subdued and Restrained. That word, Restrained, was something of a Hallmark of this collection, It didn't Scream Aloud "FASHION" It Firmly, yet Gently Announced it. No woman is going to upset any Apple Carts in these Magnificently Tailored and Luxe Pieces, However she will be noticed...

After the Shine it was a grouping of the Quintessential Spring standby's, Le Blanc Et Le Noir! All perfectly Ladylike and Modern with a Hint of nostalgia, I mean Ms. Natori was going for a Subtle View of the 30's made modern in this collection and she achieved it without looking Dated or Costume-like! Exit No. 20 hit a High Note, A cropped Kimono Jacket/Coat with a Matching Asymmetric hem High-Waist Skirt was Subtle in its Charcoal Divinity, but was Transported to the Transfiguring by the Exquisitely Understated yet totally Flamboyant Flourish of a 30's-style wallpaper Floral Embroidered Embellishment on the front shoulder! Just that Pop that transported the collection to Shanghai, Circa 1935! The next 2 exits had the same Floral Smattering that was equally well timed and placed as the aforementioned exit, but No. 20 was the one that gave the Frisson!

Next Came... Well... COLOUR! Scads of it! From Cornea-Searing Shades of Pink and Red to one of my Favorite Passages in the show... A Riotous Conglomeration of Acid Trip Colours in Dip-Dye Looking Plaid-ish prints to one that was a Photo Print of Desert Dunes in a Simple looking, Yet not Simplistic Shift dress... all these Accented with HUGE baubles around the neck! A Nice Touch.

And so on to the finish did Colour Reign, From Citrus Brights, to Crayola Hues. One, well TWO Standouts in the Evening Parade... A GLORIOUS Draping of Aqua Blue In Exit No. 35 and then a Sleek Persimmon Number Following It. Breath Stealing! However it was the last two Liquid Metallic Satin Goddess Gowns that Bought to Mind the Screen Sirens of the 30's And if I Might add, the Best Days of the Bygone era of Donna Karan! They were IMMACULATELY Cut and Divinely Draped and Clung and Flowed like they were being poured down the body! Instant Want!

For her first Major runway show, Ms. Natori Kept her edit Tight, Concise and Strong! This Augers Very Well for Future shows and Ms. Natori may be having her Roman Spring with this new gambit of being a Ready-To-Wear Designer. And I couldn't be happier to see the fruits from this Already Prosperous Tree!


That's All.


Bye4Now!