I had the morning off. Well, sort of. I had a lot of other work to do (your life is pretty much on hold during Fashion Week) and had scheduled a session with Carl Ditmars, my new, personal trainer. I had also planned to do some writing on non-fashion week topics, but didn’t get around to it. I am so tired! Carl took one look at my sagging shoulders and took pity, lightening my workout and keeping it short and easy. Even a light workout hurt (by now, every bone in my body, aches).
Today is the Day of Evening Wear. That is because Carlos Miele, Carmen Marc Valvo and Badgley Mischka are all known for special event clothing–and it is their collections I am going to experience, today.
It was so hot and muggy that by the time I got to the tents to see the Carlos Miele collection, my hair was a mass of frizz, and my clothes were sticky. I was supposed to be on the press list, but I wasn’t, so I took a standing room card. I had another show in a hour and really had nothing else to do.
While on the line, I re-connected with a woman who is a newspaper reporter, that I have chatted with in other standing room lines. We talked about consumers, markets, demographics, and Marc Jacobs, passing the time in pleasant chat. There were a lot of empty seats, so I took one (fourth row, again) and was grateful to be sitting. According to the show notes, Carlos Miele was inspired by a “certain moment’ in the history of the Iberian peninusal when Christians, Arabs, and Jews lived in harmony, creating a multi-cultural region, extremely rich to humanity.”
The show opened with spanish music, followed by Sting’s “Desert Rose.” A spanish dancer in a flamenco dress, moved in languid circles at the top the runway. She remained there, slowing dancing, the entire show. I thought it was a bit distracting, but interesting (and it did tie in the Iberian theme). Dresses really are everywhere for Spring. The clothes themselves ranged from off white day dresses, quite a few featuring crochet or crochted capelets/shrugs, to opulent, evening gowns in chioffon and silk charmouse, many with rich embellishment in beads, applique, and lace. I particularly like a mauve silk charmouse dress with a beaded lace overlay and what was described as “silk gazar ruffles.” A few of the dresses did fit that multi-cultural theme, such as the silk evening gown with a large but soft, flamenco-type ruffled bottom. The audience seemed to love the clothes even more than I did, erupting into loud cheers when Carlos took to the runway.
Show over (late, of course) I took my ticket for Carmen Marc Valvo and was able to walk right in– to my second row seat courtesy of Redken. There were skin emergency kits from MD Skincare (see my reviews in past What Works Columns). After days of standing in the back or fourth row seats, the view from the second row looked fantastic. Carmen Marc Valvo is known for glamorous evening clothes. Like many of the collections for Spring, the 60’s resort cool seemed to be the designer’s inspiration. This collection was a definite nod to Las Vegas in the 1960’s. The models makeup, done by MAC, featured a nearly nude plaette with glowing complexions and nude lips. The hair, sponsored by Redken, had the models wearing wigs cut in a bubble style popular in the 60’s, held back by a simple, black bandeau. The clothes started out with the typical black and white (and combos of black and white) and stayed pretty much within that somber theme, but the collection was punctuated with a dresses in bright coral, and coral prints. The evening gowns and cocktail dresses were tailored and short, and somewhat body conscious. One standout was a black sheer cotton knit tank that featured what looked to be a crocheted overlay tank in 18k gold and tahitian pearls that swayed and shimmered as the model walked. Now that would dress up just about anything!!! I also liked a poppy colored micro pleated silk crepe satin cocktail dress that had substance, shine, and those beautiful pleats in the mid section. In this collection, there was also apearl and black banded swimsuit (among several swimsuits) that featured the same, micro pleats. It was one of the prettiest and sexiest (and possibly wearable) swimsuits that I have seen for Spring.
In just about two hours, I’m out the door, again. This time, to go backstage for Badgley Mischka (assuming that when I get there, I am on the list). The show is supposed to start at nine, which means later. I may add Day of Evening wear Part II, tomorrow if I get home too late.
Stay tuned!