Storm Irene: Laura Blokhina

Saturday, August 28, 2010

CAROLINA HERRERA RESORT 2011

Ieva Laguna

"This is a very light collection," Carolina Herrera said as the first models strode out at an informal presentation in her Seventh Avenue showroom today. "Feminine and romantic." This designer has probably put those words together many times before, but the clothes did have an appealingly unfussy quality that has sometimes gone missing from Herrera's runway shows. Her explanation: This isn't about fantasy or pretty pictures, it's about real life.

Audi Martel

The woman whose real life calls for a ball gown has plenty to choose from here: A blossom pink textured organza strapless dress was an understated, modern knockout, and if it's drama the wearer's after, a gray Chantilly lace floor-scraper should fit the bill. Knee-length cocktail numbers were hardly an afterthought, though. Among the variations Herrera showed, a strapless dress in a watercolor print she called "her Monet" was particularly lovely. As for suits, it isn't necessarily easy to romance houndstooth, but she managed to do it by softly draping the jacket's lapels and marrying it to cuffed trousers and matching Manolo Blahnik pumps. All in all, a terrific Herrera outing.

Taryn Davidson

Aminata Niaria

Chrissy Haldis

Danijela Dimitrovska

Tayane Leão

Audi Martel

Georgina Stojilkovic

Tabea Koebach

Laura Blokhina

Ksenia Kahnovich

Yana Karpova

Ieva Laguna

Taryn Davidson

Aminata Niaria

Chrissy Haldis

Audi Martel

Tayane Leão

Laura Blokhina

Danijela Dimitrovska

Tabea Koebach

Ksenia Kahnovich

Yana Karpova

Ieva Laguna

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Giorgio Armani Spring 2010 RTW.

It was hard not to read between the lines at Giorgio Armani's exuberant Spring collection.

Jana Zapletalova

As reported, the designer was ill with hepatitis earlier this year, but he's on the road to recovery now, and he sent out a colorful, youthful lineup that veritably shouted, "I'm feeling just peachy."

Sara Blomqvist

The show started off predictably enough with a jacket: a sharp, narrowly cut red, blue, and white houndstooth number, worn over a deep plunge-front top, loose-fitting pants cropped above the ankles, and flat sandals.

Tonia Molyavko

Lots more jackets followed, some with origami-like pinches and folds at the upper arm (a subtle way to do the bold shoulder).

Angelika Kocheva

Others were woven together from delicate ribbon, and still more glinted with allover crystal embroidery. They were worn with that casual (not-quite-a-) sweatpant or baggy pleat-front skorts.

It was mostly after-dark where the color came in. In tune with the season, Armani kept everything above the knee, adding panels of multicolor sequins to the bodices of fuchsia and royal blue taffeta numbers and beading every square centimeter of others.

R'el Dade

That should please the party set tremendously. They'll simply trade in the flat sandals the models wore on the runway for spiked heels.

Agnese Zogla

This wasn't the classic, elegant, timeless Armani that his customers love him for; the designer was after something else here: a good bit of fun.