Showing posts with label Reem Acra. Show all posts
New York Fashion Week Fall 2013: Alice and Olivia, Reem Acra & Steven Alan
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
After exhausting myself over the weekend* ("What's a weekend?" indeed!), I found myself, gladly, with a much lighter schedule for the final few days of Fashion Week. (I also had to skip quite a few shows due to work, but that's another story.) Here's what I was up to Monday and Tuesday.
Alice and Olivia
While I've rediscovered the joy of avant-garde this season, I certainly haven't lost my ability to shop a show, which is what I found myself doing at Stacey Bendet's Alice and Olivia presentation Monday evening. Granted, I am already an enthusiastic Alice and Olivia fan, but with a theme of Parisian "Fantasy Street Style," the fall collection might as well have been called "Stuff Cheryl Wants to Buy." There were flirty flared skirts, buttery leather motorcycle jackets, patchwork furs (a big trend this season), and lace, lace, lace. And then there were bags and shoes from the label's fairly recent expansion into accessories, and the boots were so fabulous, I found myself mentally clearing room in my closet for them: over-the-knee gray suede, quilted black pointy-toe with gold studs, pointy black haircalf, a black leather spat style...so many boots, so little time. And just when I thought things couldn't get any better, waiters waltzed by with trays of pink champagne and cake pops. Stacey, will you be my best friend?
Reem Acra
It's always interesting to see where I'm seated at a fashion show; usually it's toward the end of the runway with the press, so we have a longer look at each exit, but at Reem Acra, I was seated at the beginning of the runway—so close that I could see the models backstage before they came out onto the glossy black runway. I was also close enough to appreciate the intricate detail and craftsmanship in Acra's work (in fact, close enough that my zoom lens was too long, hence the less-than-stellar quality of my photography here), which for fall 2013 was inspired by travels to Japan and the photography of Daido Moriyama. Acra stuck to a simple palette of black, white, and red, the better to showcase her sexy fishnet-backed cutouts, which curved around the body in a very sensual way. That thought was echoed in her day dresses and coats, which draped low and gracefully across the hips to soft, flattering effect. But Acra's gowns stole the show as always, from embroidered second-skin illusion gowns to embroidered, frothy tulle confections. Look for them on the red carpet; stars would be remiss not to wear one.
Steven Alan
Runway shows are fabulous and exciting, but presentations have their place at Fashion Week, especially for designers like Steven Alan, whose quietly cool clothes would get lost under the lights and drama. Also, presentations are wonderful because you can be in and out in 10 minutes. That said, I wanted to linger over the fall collection, which had a very appealing tomboyish feel. You could say menswear is a trend for fall (although if you ask me, it's too much of a staple to be considered a trend), which puts Alan in the thick of things, but his take is subtle and even a bit androgynous—a boxy windowpane-plaid suit, oversized boyfriend shirts, cropped stovepipe pants, and updates on classics like cable-knit sweaters and chambray shirtdresses. I also found myself shopping this collection, but in a different way than Alice and Olivia above—that one is "I have to have that right now" while Steven Alan is "I will have this forever."
*A post on the rest of Sunday's shows is still forthcoming!
Alice and Olivia
While I've rediscovered the joy of avant-garde this season, I certainly haven't lost my ability to shop a show, which is what I found myself doing at Stacey Bendet's Alice and Olivia presentation Monday evening. Granted, I am already an enthusiastic Alice and Olivia fan, but with a theme of Parisian "Fantasy Street Style," the fall collection might as well have been called "Stuff Cheryl Wants to Buy." There were flirty flared skirts, buttery leather motorcycle jackets, patchwork furs (a big trend this season), and lace, lace, lace. And then there were bags and shoes from the label's fairly recent expansion into accessories, and the boots were so fabulous, I found myself mentally clearing room in my closet for them: over-the-knee gray suede, quilted black pointy-toe with gold studs, pointy black haircalf, a black leather spat style...so many boots, so little time. And just when I thought things couldn't get any better, waiters waltzed by with trays of pink champagne and cake pops. Stacey, will you be my best friend?
Reem Acra
It's always interesting to see where I'm seated at a fashion show; usually it's toward the end of the runway with the press, so we have a longer look at each exit, but at Reem Acra, I was seated at the beginning of the runway—so close that I could see the models backstage before they came out onto the glossy black runway. I was also close enough to appreciate the intricate detail and craftsmanship in Acra's work (in fact, close enough that my zoom lens was too long, hence the less-than-stellar quality of my photography here), which for fall 2013 was inspired by travels to Japan and the photography of Daido Moriyama. Acra stuck to a simple palette of black, white, and red, the better to showcase her sexy fishnet-backed cutouts, which curved around the body in a very sensual way. That thought was echoed in her day dresses and coats, which draped low and gracefully across the hips to soft, flattering effect. But Acra's gowns stole the show as always, from embroidered second-skin illusion gowns to embroidered, frothy tulle confections. Look for them on the red carpet; stars would be remiss not to wear one.
Steven Alan
Runway shows are fabulous and exciting, but presentations have their place at Fashion Week, especially for designers like Steven Alan, whose quietly cool clothes would get lost under the lights and drama. Also, presentations are wonderful because you can be in and out in 10 minutes. That said, I wanted to linger over the fall collection, which had a very appealing tomboyish feel. You could say menswear is a trend for fall (although if you ask me, it's too much of a staple to be considered a trend), which puts Alan in the thick of things, but his take is subtle and even a bit androgynous—a boxy windowpane-plaid suit, oversized boyfriend shirts, cropped stovepipe pants, and updates on classics like cable-knit sweaters and chambray shirtdresses. I also found myself shopping this collection, but in a different way than Alice and Olivia above—that one is "I have to have that right now" while Steven Alan is "I will have this forever."
*A post on the rest of Sunday's shows is still forthcoming!
New York Fashion Week Day 5: Carlos Miele, Marimekko, Reem Acra & Libertine
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sunday was the halfway point of Fashion Week, and while the first four days were awesome, there's always a point soon thereafter where I start to lose it. I am a person who relishes her sleep (and her lazy weekends), so after running around all day on about 5 hours of sleep per night, by Monday I was Super Grumpy. I know, you're playing the world's smallest violin for me. I do love every minute of Fashion Week—I joke that I could watch fashion shows all day, every day—but I am human. And so I'd like to apologize to the PR girl I called "unprofessional and elitist" within earshot on Monday afternoon. Well, I still think that, but I shouldn't have said it out loud.
Carlos Miele
My day started out on a bright note—literally and figuratively—at Carlos Miele, whose pre-show was a sleepy affair until Vanessa Williams, Daisy Fuentes, and Paula Abdul (yes, Straight Up Paula Abdul) breezed in and were promptly mobbed by paparazzi. As for the action on the runway, Miele's notes cited a hallucinatory jungle, and that's a fairly accurate way to describe his lively collection. Giraffe, zebra, and leopard prints mixed and mingled, sometimes all in one dress, and Miele achieved the remarkable feat of making the color green look sexy. Then again, Miele makes pretty much everything look sexy, particularly his asymmetrically ruched dresses that create the most flattering effect across the hips and derriere. And Miele knows exactly what to do with that area—he is Brazilian, after all.
Marimekko
Its Brattle Street store in Cambridge was the hotspot for Radcliffe students in the '60s and '70s, but in recent years, the Finnish label Marimekko has been more widely known in this country for its home textiles (which are available in Crate & Barrel, for one). But for spring, fashion is a big focus for the company, with adorable shift dresses in relaxed shapes and bold, colorful prints. Fun clothes aside, this show was notable for two reasons: One, all the models were smiling. Two, it featured three "vintage" supermodels: Carol Alt, Pat Cleveland, and Carmen Dell'Orefice, all of whom were featured in the excellent recent HBO documentary about models, About Face, which I would highly recommend watching if you haven't already. The smiles and the models were a bit on the gimmicky side, but both made me smile, and, like I said earlier, by the fifth day of Fashion Week, a little happiness goes a long way.
Reem Acra
Continuing on the sexy streak she started last season (complete with a similar glossy black runway on which guests were not allowed to tread), Reem Acra showed a sleek collection of mostly midnight blue, white, red, and gold inspired by artist Aaron Young's motorcycle-inspired works. There were no biker jackets or otherwise obvious references; instead, Acra showed dangerously sexy sleek sheaths with sheer side cutouts, perforated leather day dresses, and lots of fluid pants and jumpsuits. But with all of Reem Acra shows, the gowns that closed the show were the main attraction, utilizing sheer fabrics, some as cutouts, some whipped into frothy ball gowns and embroidered with metallic thread or beads. They glittered, and any star would be smart to snap them up for the red carpet.
Libertine
I managed to miss or intentionally skip five shows in the afternoon, so I figured I'd end the day by stopping by the Libertine show at Pier 57, as it tends to be a fun one. (Note to self: Anything at Pier 57, at 11th Avenue and 15th Street, does not involve "stopping by" due to the considerable three-block crosstown walk from the subway.) And while I got there 25 minutes before the scheduled end date, I managed to see only the last two looks. So, here's one of 'em. Looks like I missed a pretty good party.
Carlos Miele
My day started out on a bright note—literally and figuratively—at Carlos Miele, whose pre-show was a sleepy affair until Vanessa Williams, Daisy Fuentes, and Paula Abdul (yes, Straight Up Paula Abdul) breezed in and were promptly mobbed by paparazzi. As for the action on the runway, Miele's notes cited a hallucinatory jungle, and that's a fairly accurate way to describe his lively collection. Giraffe, zebra, and leopard prints mixed and mingled, sometimes all in one dress, and Miele achieved the remarkable feat of making the color green look sexy. Then again, Miele makes pretty much everything look sexy, particularly his asymmetrically ruched dresses that create the most flattering effect across the hips and derriere. And Miele knows exactly what to do with that area—he is Brazilian, after all.
Marimekko
Its Brattle Street store in Cambridge was the hotspot for Radcliffe students in the '60s and '70s, but in recent years, the Finnish label Marimekko has been more widely known in this country for its home textiles (which are available in Crate & Barrel, for one). But for spring, fashion is a big focus for the company, with adorable shift dresses in relaxed shapes and bold, colorful prints. Fun clothes aside, this show was notable for two reasons: One, all the models were smiling. Two, it featured three "vintage" supermodels: Carol Alt, Pat Cleveland, and Carmen Dell'Orefice, all of whom were featured in the excellent recent HBO documentary about models, About Face, which I would highly recommend watching if you haven't already. The smiles and the models were a bit on the gimmicky side, but both made me smile, and, like I said earlier, by the fifth day of Fashion Week, a little happiness goes a long way.
Reem Acra
Continuing on the sexy streak she started last season (complete with a similar glossy black runway on which guests were not allowed to tread), Reem Acra showed a sleek collection of mostly midnight blue, white, red, and gold inspired by artist Aaron Young's motorcycle-inspired works. There were no biker jackets or otherwise obvious references; instead, Acra showed dangerously sexy sleek sheaths with sheer side cutouts, perforated leather day dresses, and lots of fluid pants and jumpsuits. But with all of Reem Acra shows, the gowns that closed the show were the main attraction, utilizing sheer fabrics, some as cutouts, some whipped into frothy ball gowns and embroidered with metallic thread or beads. They glittered, and any star would be smart to snap them up for the red carpet.
Reem Acra Fall 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
When & where: Monday, February 13 at 3 p.m., the Stage, Lincoln Center
Runway recap: Reem Acra's gowns frequently turn up on the red carpet, but considering Madonna wore one of her dresses to the Golden Globes last month, Acra has been thrust into the spotlight. With her fall/winter show, she used that spotlight wisely, showcasing one sexy, glimmering look after another: from short, sliver, and skintight to black, beaded, and simply beautiful. A series of cutout dresses either bared a significant amount of skin or were held together, daringly, with sheer insets of nude mesh. For the Spanx-averse, there were a few looser looks with flapper-esque silhouettes, as well as some buttery leather and lightly sequined ladylike daytime looks, but the body-conscious looks played a starring role. Bonus points: One of the more dramatic sets I've seen this week, Acra used a bright red backdrop and a shiny runway, which, to keep clean pre-show, was roped off and carefully guarded. Without paparazzi and TV cameras and reporters crowding around, it made for an actually serene environment—a true rarity during Fashion Week.
Where to buy: Click here for store locations.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Reem Acra Spring 2009
Where & When: Thursday, September 11th at 3 p.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: There has been much speculation this week about how designers would address the mediocre state of the U.S. economy--whether they'd restrain themselves with more conservative, less showy pieces or go all out with investment-worthy statement-makers. Reem Acra definitely went for the latter with her collection today, a series of incredibly bright and embellished dresses and separates, almost to the point that she seemed to be trolling for Middle-East clients, who tend toward the more outré. Shades of nude were interspersed throughout, offering a respite from all the bold shocks of color. From the conservative cut of most garments, I'd venture that Acra appeals to an older customer; but if it's Russia she's after, a closer fit is in order.
Standout Look: Awkward fit aside, this mini-caftan was one of the more calm looks to come down the runway, but the embroidery along the neckline still had that elegant detail that Reem Acra is known for.
Bonus Points: Mr. and Ms. Jay from America's Next Top Model, both tall drinks of water, were in the front row, happily granting interviews until the plastic came up.
Where to Buy: Reem Acra boutique, 14 E. 60th St.
Where & When: Thursday, September 11th at 3 p.m., the Promenade, Bryant ParkRunway Recap: There has been much speculation this week about how designers would address the mediocre state of the U.S. economy--whether they'd restrain themselves with more conservative, less showy pieces or go all out with investment-worthy statement-makers. Reem Acra definitely went for the latter with her collection today, a series of incredibly bright and embellished dresses and separates, almost to the point that she seemed to be trolling for Middle-East clients, who tend toward the more outré. Shades of nude were interspersed throughout, offering a respite from all the bold shocks of color. From the conservative cut of most garments, I'd venture that Acra appeals to an older customer; but if it's Russia she's after, a closer fit is in order.
Standout Look: Awkward fit aside, this mini-caftan was one of the more calm looks to come down the runway, but the embroidery along the neckline still had that elegant detail that Reem Acra is known for.
Bonus Points: Mr. and Ms. Jay from America's Next Top Model, both tall drinks of water, were in the front row, happily granting interviews until the plastic came up.
Where to Buy: Reem Acra boutique, 14 E. 60th St.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Reem Acra Fall 2008
Where & When: Thursday, February 7th at 3 p.m. in the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Red-carpet regular Reem Acra could do the Grecian-goddess look in her sleep, so I found the draped charmeuse dresses in the middle of the show a bit old-hat. Thankfully, she started out with some Mad Men-inspired sweater-and-skirt separates and finished with breathtakingly glamorous, exquisitely detailed evening gowns. If the Oscars actually happen this year, look for her designs on the red carpet; if not, our loss.
Standout Look: This nude dress had a sequined black overlay that, as the model (the gorgeous Bruna Tenorio) walked down the runway, exploded like the flashbulbs of so many cameras. To. Die. For.
Bonus Points: Not only did model Chanel Iman subtly smirk whenever she walked past front-row fixture Tyson Beckford (who was plying her with "You go, girl!" cheers), but closer Jessica Stam broke out in a full grin when the audience applauded her as the music ran out and she was still only halfway down the runway. Models: They're just like us! (Well, not really...)
Where to Buy: The Reem Acra boutique at 14 E. 60th St.
Where & When: Thursday, February 7th at 3 p.m. in the Promenade, Bryant ParkRunway Recap: Red-carpet regular Reem Acra could do the Grecian-goddess look in her sleep, so I found the draped charmeuse dresses in the middle of the show a bit old-hat. Thankfully, she started out with some Mad Men-inspired sweater-and-skirt separates and finished with breathtakingly glamorous, exquisitely detailed evening gowns. If the Oscars actually happen this year, look for her designs on the red carpet; if not, our loss.
Standout Look: This nude dress had a sequined black overlay that, as the model (the gorgeous Bruna Tenorio) walked down the runway, exploded like the flashbulbs of so many cameras. To. Die. For.
Bonus Points: Not only did model Chanel Iman subtly smirk whenever she walked past front-row fixture Tyson Beckford (who was plying her with "You go, girl!" cheers), but closer Jessica Stam broke out in a full grin when the audience applauded her as the music ran out and she was still only halfway down the runway. Models: They're just like us! (Well, not really...)
Where to Buy: The Reem Acra boutique at 14 E. 60th St.
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