Monique Lhuillier Spring 2012

When I first started going to Fashion Week back in 2006 (!!), I had to talk my way into most shows. This, of course, was a time when most PR firms didn't know what blogs were (or if they did, they didn't know what to do with them), and so I found that a smile and good manners had to do. And so, five years later, I may not be sitting front row like some of my blogger peers, but it's come to the point where I often have to choose one show over another (the New York schedule is so clogged that there are often three shows at once), and I also have the luxury of a seat at most shows—granted, I'm usually somewhere around the fourth or fifth row, but, hey, I'm not complaining. Something amazing that started happening this season: I've been invited to several shows with a plus-one, which is how I brought my friend ES to Monique Lhuillier with me on Saturday. Attending a show with a friend was a new experience—it's different than sitting next to an industry friend, with whom, no matter your relationship, I always find a bit of competitiveness—ES was totally pumped to be there, she oohed and aahed over every gown, and the fact that our seats were in the third row, right at the end of the runway, was certainly the frosting on the cake, so to speak. As jaded as I get over fashion shows, having her there reminded me of how much fun they can be.

As for the show itself, Lhuillier focused on bold, saturated colors with an athletic bent. It may seem at odds with Lhuillier's dreamy, super-feminine gowns, but as I've found in the past, she's incredibly adept at pushing the boundaries of her own talents, and she always manages to turn her inspirations into glamorous, sophisticated, almost universally appealing looks. There was definitely a sexy undercurrent to the collection, but in a very refined way; silhouettes were very close to the body, however, requiring a certain level of fitness on the part of the wearer. As for the colors, there was rich cobalt, shocking pink, and cadmium yellow, and while the brights trend started last season, as long as the colors continue to be so vivid and vibrant, I am all in favor of it continuing indefinitely. Plus, think how beautifully these gowns will photograph—I think we can safely expect to see many of them on red carpets soon.


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