Cheryl Shops

Where & When: Friday, September 10 at 2 p.m., the Stage, Lincoln Center
Runway Recap: Rating celebrities' red carpet attire has literally become a sport. And yet while I am quick to judge red-carpet looks (I favor the unconventional and fashion-forward), I can't imagine how stressful stylists' jobs are, although the Rachel Zoe Project has given us some insight. There are so many things to take into account, but I'd imagine that how a dress photographs is pretty high in importance. Georges Chakra is a prominent red-carpet player, and while watching his show was beautiful and engaging, it wasn't until I was going through my film that I realized how red-carpet-savvy his designs were. In short, everything photographs amazingly, from the black and white sheath dresses that opened the show to the liquid metallic gowns that closed it. In between were brilliant jolts of color, in purple, teal, and saffron yellow, some with ombré effect, others with cage and basketweave detailing. It was all designed to thrill, and, really, it will--you can bet your fantasy league on it.
Standout Look: Purple has unexpectedly become a prominent color thus far for spring, but the ombré effect of this gown made it truly stunning, with beading at the neckline for extra sparkle. The ombré actually turns into a gold-ish color, not white, which made it all the more unique.
Bonus Points: My seat was at the very end of the runway, and the models thankfully paused there, allowing me to examine each dress for more than the usual split second. It's the little things, I tell you.
Where to Buy: Visit georgeschakra.com for stores.

Where & When: Saturday, February 13 at 11 a.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Oftentimes, when one enters a fashion show, one is greeted by a designer's diatribe on what has inspired them this season. Sometimes the references are obvious, sometimes they're oblique, but, regardless, you ponder the Big Ideas behind the collection and fret over how to work them into your review. At Edition Georges Chakra, there were no such notes--only a run-of-show sheet listing the 42 looks--and thus I was able to sit back and enjoy the show. Edition is chiefly an eveningwear affair, and the show flowed from fitted cocktail sheaths into sharply tailored suits and tuxedos, ending with flashbulb-worthy gowns sure to be seen soon on a red carpet near you. What makes Chakra's designs interesting is his adventurous use of fabrics, mixing futuristic materials like lamé wool and glazed wool gabardine with classic Chantilly lace and always-in-style chiffon. While a series of backwards tuxedo dresses were a little Celine-Dion-circa-1997, the sexy laser-cut gowns more than made up for the missteps.
Standout Look: If this is the future of red carpet fashion, then beam me up: a one-shoulder gold lamé gown with an asymmetrical cutout detail slashed across the front. The fit on this gown, as with all in the show, was impeccable.
Bonus Points: There's nothing like a little electronica to wake you up in the morning, and this show featured, among other songs, the weirdly hilarious "No Milk" by Munk and a strange but oddly appealing remix of "Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.

Where & When: Saturday, September 12th at 11 a.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Lebanese-born designer Georges Chakra boasts couture training, and his Edition line, which launched last season, is his way to bring those refined techniques to the ready-to-wear market. Today he presented a rather robust collection of 46 evening looks, which ran the gamut from bright citrus-colored crepe gowns to sequined asymmetrical little black dresses. The most interesting looks played with a hard-and-soft contrast, pairing geometric, architectural details and hardware with filmy chiffon and lightly draped crepe and satin. I expect these dresses to be popular with socialites, who actually have multiple occasions to which to wear these gowns, but for the rest of us, it's always fun to dream.
Standout Look: Sometimes I pick my favorite look after scrolling through my photos, but other times I know it as soon as it comes down the runway, and the latter is how I felt about this shocking yellow lamé gown, detailed with asymmetrical crisscrossing silver leather trim. A definite statement-maker, it's certainly not a look for a wallflower. Which, in these days when bland red-carpet dresses proliferate, is a good thing.
Bonus Points: It's not much, but I was seated directly across the runway from The Real Housewives of New York's Jill Zarin, Alex McCord, and Simon van Kempen, all of whom chatted amicably throughout the show.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.