Cheryl Shops

You might have noticed our Fashion Week schedule was a bit front-loaded. This is usually the case, although this season has had the added factor of my own fatigue threatening to end the party early. Kids, I am no spring chicken anymore. But speaking of spring, Mina & I saw two totally strong shows on Tuesday (see what I did there?), proving that when it comes to Fashion Week, quality wins out over quantity.

Brandon Sun 
With this being only his second ready-to-wear collection, Brandon Sun uses a lot of fur in his designs, which poses a unique problem for spring. His solution: lightweight, airy knitted fur vests and scarves, perfect for layering during transitional weather (or great all summer long if you live in, say, San Francisco). He also worked with leather, creating, among other things, the most delicious peplum skirt I've seen after three seasons straight of peplum proliferation. The palette was mostly shades of gray (but not fifty!), which was rather refreshing after so much color on the runways. I found myself shopping this collection, which is always a promising sign; I can't wait to see Sun in his true element—fur—next season.

Badgley Mischka
Mina is now wary of saying anything about the shows via text message, lest I quote her here, but she did say that Badgley Mischka was gorgeous, and I wholeheartedly agree. As usual, they mixed all three lines—regular, couture, and contemporary—in a show inspired by the 1935 film A Midsummer Night's Dream, resulting in airy, gossamer-like gowns that floated down the runway like fairies. It was totally in line with spring's lighter mood, and it certainly lifted my spirits.

When & where: Tuesday, February 14 at 10 a.m., the Theatre, Lincoln Center 
Runway recap: The recession must be ending—or at least Badgley Mischka hope it is—because everything the design duo showed for fall was luxe: gold satin, jeweled details, metallic tweed, lamé, brocade, and beading upon beading. The palette was almost strictly black, gold, and silver, with a dose of emerald (green! subtle!) thrown in for good measure. What's even more remarkable is that, as is their practice, Badgley Mischka showed all three of their lines (namesake, couture, and Mark + James) together, and it all looked so rich, I couldn't tell what was what. Granted, my seat was in the back (and it was too dark to read the run of show), but that's an accomplishment. Silhouette-wise, nearly everything was lean and close to the body, with trumpet hems on many of the gowns, all the better to let the super-glam fabrics and embellishments take center stage.
Bonus points: Front row guests Kelly Osbourne, Kate Mara, Shay Mitchell, Erin Andrews, Kelly Bensimon, and Coco Rocha were all firmly in place, the runway had been cleared, but the show still hadn't started. Then, out came Joan Rivers, to thunderous applause from the audience. She can still bring down the house.
Where to buy: Click here for store locations.

The hair was high and the vibe was super-feminine at Badgley Mischka, whom I suspect have been reading The Help—their very coquettish collection was heavy on flirty flounces, ruffles, and peplums, with syrupy-sweet doses of pink, yellow, turquoise, and red, in shades varying from soft pastels to blaring neons. Mixing their namesake line with their contemporary Mark + James outing as they have in seasons past, the collections interspersed the duo's signature heavily embellished red-carpet looks with more trend-conscious pieces like corset tops, palazzo pants, and high-waisted shorts; the only disconnect was that some looks seemed intended for the mother, and some for her daughter. But judging by many of the attendees and their attire for a 10 a.m. show, age-appropriate dressing is the least of their concerns. Regardless, it was a lovely collection, especially if springtime has you yearning to dress like a southern belle. Look for the diaphanous chiffon gowns on the red carpet soon.

When & Where: Tuesday, February 15 at 10 a.m., the Theatre, Lincoln Center
Runway Recap: The general m.o. for fashion shows is to start with daytime looks and transition into evening, ending with a showstopping gown or two. Badgley Mischka, who've never been short on glamour, put the daytime looks in the middle, instead starting and ending with their signature red-carpet looks. The fall collection carried a strong '20s Art Deco vibe with rich jewel tones, flapper-esque beaded fringe, and slim, pencil-skirted silhouettes. This is the second season in a row that they've done this, but Badgley Mischka mixed pieces from all three of their lines--collection, couture, and the contemporary Mark + James--throughout, and in spite of the price differences, all blended seamlessly together, reflecting a unity in vision.
Standout Look: This was my favorite dress, because it's somewhat of a departure for the duo. Yes, it's made for the red carpet, but it draws strongly from the flapper period instead of their usual Golden Hollywood era, but the detailing was exquisite, as always. I hope some smart star picks it for the Oscars in a few weeks.
Bonus Points: Kellie Pickler, Rumer Willis, and Kelly Osbourne sat in the front row.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.

Where & When: Tuesday, September 14 at 10 a.m., the Theatre, Lincoln Center
Runway Recap: Minimalism may be the buzzword of the spring 2011 collections, but one place you definitely won't find it is at Badgley Mischka. Which is completely fine with me, especially when they continue to turn out such otherworldly, glamorous clothes. Spring 2011 took on a garden theme, as set by the video screen that served as a backdrop, with floral appliqués and sequined motifs in cool, icy pastels, as well as white, spring's neutral of choice. The truly innovative aspect of the show is that Badgley Mischka combined their signature and Mark + James lines all into one show, blurring the lines between couture and contemporary. After all, it's how real women dress.
Standout Look: This is a couture-line tulle top, decorated with crystals, and worn over a Mark + James tank and denim shorts, the ultimate definition of high-low, and it looked incredibly fresh.
Bonus Points: The celeb-studded front row featured Kelly Rowland, Lala Vasquez, Beth Ostrowsky, Kelly Bensimon, Gabrielle Union, and Kristen Cavallari.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.

Where & When: Tuesday, February 16 at 10 a.m., the Tent, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Mark Badgley and James Mischka will perhaps always be known for their ultra-glamorous red carpet looks, and rightfully so--they're among the best in the business. The first half of their show this morning was a sparkly, ethereal affair, with 15 evening dresses (well, 14 dresses and one jumpsuit), starting with subdued black jersey and unfolding into petal-covered skirts and glittery georgette gowns, the shimmery effect of which was enhanced by the show's dramatic dark lighting. The dresses alternated between sweet and sultry, but all were showstoppers. The second half of the show was devoted to Mark + James, the duo's new contemporary line, which was heavy on nighttime looks and tended toward a more fashiony point of view, as evidenced by the models' faux-hawk hairdos. The layering was edgy and cool, with cape-sleeve jackets and coats over tissue-weight jersey tops paired with sleek faux leather or sequined pants. The dresses were mostly of the short and sparkly variety, but that's exactly the point--the contemporary customer needs dresses for dinner, clubbing, and the like; she's not quite ready for the red carpet...yet.
Standout Looks: This tulle "constellation" dress looked like it was spun from gold and sprinkled with fairy dust for good measure. It also looked effortless in its construction, with a strategically draped design; it's one thing to make a gorgeous dress and another to make one so flattering. For Mark + James, there were many great layered looks, but this sweater dress caught my eye. It, like many of the pieces in the collection, had a more exaggerated, fashion-forward shape with its slouchy dolman sleeves, and it looked so warm and cozy yet sexy too, it could become a new nighttime uniform.
Bonus Points: It was snowing like crazy outside, but a stellar turnout of TV stars, from high (Mad Men's Christina Hendricks) to medium (90210's AnnaLynne McCord) to low (Real Housewives Bethenny Frankel and Kelly Bensimon, and The City girls) warmed up the front row.
Where to Buy: Visit BadgleyMischka.com for stores.

Where & When: Tuesday, September 15th at 10 a.m., the Tent, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Sometimes designers play it safe with basic black and white; sometimes they take risks with outrageous bursts of color; and sometimes they do both, which was the story at today's Badgley Mischka show. Following the usual runway-show progression of day looks, transitioning into dramatic evening gowns, the duo started with work-friendly cotton tweed ensembles, shantung jackets, and matte jersey dresses with the odd swimsuit or bright red dress sprinkled throughout. The stars of the show, however, were the evening gowns: Badgley Mischka generally sticks to a slim, streamlined silhouette that doesn't detract from the ornate beading, sequins, lace detail, or whatever embellishment they choose to utilize. There were many glamorous looks that I'm sure we'll see on the red carpet at the Emmys on Sunday.
Standout Look: While Badgley Mischka's black gowns are always stunners, they can also do color quite well too. The shocking pink hue of this one is bold to begin with, but the delicate beading at the cap sleeves and hips doesn't result in sensory overload; in fact, it's the perfect complement.
Bonus Points: My seat afforded me a perfect view of Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato (Betty's nephew), who looked mildly pained when the Real Housewives' Bethenny Frankel and Kelly Bensimon sat down next to him and proceeded to have a heated conversation until the show started. Also, Fran Drescher, Kara DioGuardi, Shanae Grimes, Kim Kardashian, and Kelly Rowland were all reportedly there, although I didn't see any of them.
Where to Buy: Visit BadgleyMischka.com for stores.

Badgley Mischka Fall 2008
Where & When: Tuesday, February 5th at 10 a.m. in the Tent, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Badgley Mischka took their Uptown Girl out for a night on the town at Studio 54--tastefully so, of course. Tiny bits of leopard print, subtle metallics, and luxe fur vests upped the glam factor while airy chiffon blouses and amazingly well-cut wide-leg trousers kept everything grounded in luxury. For day, there were pencil-skirted suits for day, rich brocades in autumnal tones, and some great bishop-sleeve dresses in retro prints. For evening, lightly sequined jewel-toned charmeuse and hand-painted chiffon gowns flowed into the duo's signature ornately beaded gowns in shades of silver and gold, all surely to appear soon on the red carpet, because, as everyone knows, Badgley Mischka makes glamour look effortless.
Standout Look: The sequined bodice and subtly variegated skirt of this gown look chic and fresh, not fussy, and I bet it all reads great on camera. Are you listening, Oscar nominees?
Bonus Points: A rare Anna Wintour spotting!
Where to Buy: Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks