Storm Irene: Anastasia Kuznetsova

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Hervé Léger by Max Azria Spring 2010 RTW.

Anastasia Kuznetsova

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose? Non. That was not the order of business at Hervé Léger by Max Azria today. Sure, some things had stayed the same: the venue, for one.

Lisanne De Jong

And the front row was as starlet-heavy as usual (albeit an uncanny amalgam ranging from Hilary Duff, Mischa Barton, and Tinsley Mortimer to Lissy Trullie, Jen Brill, and Leigh Lezark).

Nimue Smit

But the collection has evolved this season, becoming not only more nuanced, through the use of unexpected fabrics and homespun techniques like braiding and crochet, but—dare we say it?—just a little bit country.

Nicola Haffmans

"Dusty sands and desert skies" inspired the neutral palette, and tonal embellishments were effectively applied to sandy, nude, and cream-colored dresses, giving them tactile interest.

Patricia van der Vliet

Dimensional ribbon work on flared dresses had a real horse-opera appeal. And we're absolutely sure that no cowgirl could get the blues wearing one of the holler-for-more denim pieces.

Julija Steponaviciute

Jac

Vanessa Hegelmaier

Kelsey Van Mook

Sharon Kavjian

Alla Kostromicheva

Jacquelyn Jablonski

Jules Mordovets

Marike Le Roux

Debora Muller

Hind Sahli

Gracie Carvalho

Hanne Gaby Odiele

Anabela Belikova

Sophie Srej

Patricia van der Vliet

Vanessa Hegelmaier

Jac

Julija Steponaviciute

Kelsey Van Mook

Alla Kostromicheva

Anya Kazakova

Sharon Kavjian

Nicola Haffmans

Jacquelyn Jablonski

Marike Le Roux

Lisanne De Jong

Anastasia Kuznetsova

Nimue Smit

Lubov and Max Azria

Thursday, September 10, 2009

BCBG Max Azria Spring 2010 Ready to Wear.

Patricia Van Der Vliet

A healthy front-row bloc of PYTs du jour at BCBG Max Azria usually sets off the fashion season's first paparazzi swarm.

Marike Le Roux

Today it was sister act Theodora and Alexandra Richards happily braving the flashes alongside Leigh Lezark, Solange Knowles, and teen queen Amanda Bynes. Appropriately, the clothes on the runway could have gone by the name of the latter's breakout movie, What a Girl Wants.

Dorothea Barth Jorgensen

What does a girl want? Well, for many, particularly the sector who follows the It-party-girl lead, the checklist is still short, body-con, and sexy in the eighties vein that has made stars out of Alexander Wang and today's Balmain.

Anastasia Kuznetsova

The husband-and-wife team of Max and Lubov Azria worked the look like a collage, piecing and tucking bright abstract florals into solid blacks, navies, and the odd Pepto pink.

Anya Kazakova

Ruched silks and tulle were tightly bandaged around the body, the effect made sexier still with sheer black insets. On the looser side, dresses that riffed on the T-shirt made a coherent and welcome counterpoint.

Jac

Every model carried a glossy metallic clutch, as if poised to stay out all night at a moment's notice. Sure, their proposition wasn't quite new, but the Azrias' trickle-down timing is right on. And after last season's concept-heavy offering, the show was a youthful breath of fresh air.