Cheryl Shops

While my dream job is that of a fashion critic, I'm glad that I have this outlet, as opposed to a traditional medium like a newspaper. Ideally, a critic should have no bias, but even Cathy Horyn of the New York Times has favorites, which she alluded to in this article—which ended up being so controversial, Women's Wear Daily wrote a story on designers' reactions to it. I, on the other hand, have the freedom to fawn over whomever I want, whenever I want—ah, the luxury of having your own blog!

Which brings me to one of my favorite designers, Yigal Azrouel. I am a huge fan of his, owning several pieces that I've collected over the years (his twice-yearly sample sales unearth some great finds), and whenever I get an invite to one of his shows, my heart skips a little. Typically known for his sexy draped dresses and snug leather jackets, last season Azrouel made an about-face in favor of a more sophisticated tailored look that I loved just as well. For spring, he picked up where he left off, with a very clean, minimal yet impactful collection that married streamlined shapes with super-saturated colors. He played with more volume this season, with fall's skinny colored pants giving way to wide-legged cuts in leather and double-faced cotton. And speaking of leather, there was a gorgeous buttery trench coat that I could live in (and anticipating its price tag, I'd likely have to). But lest you think Azrouel has gone too polished and uptown, he reminded you of his downtown roots (his store is on 14th Street in the Meatpacking District, after all) with super-sexy, up-to-there thigh slits. Azrouel's client might have grown up, but she still knows how to have a good time.


For Azrouel fans who aren't quite ready to give up the sexy jersey and leather, there's Cut25, which is his fairly new secondary line. The past few seasons, Cut25 has been a more distilled version of Azrouel's signature line, but for spring, he took an entirely different direction—it was all about color, like the main line, but with a sporty surfer influence and a more casual vibe. The silhouette was still pure, with clean, simple shapes, but it felt much younger, with techno fabrics, sheer layers, and cutouts. It was one of the happiest collections I'd seen thus far (and even in a pretty colorful, optimistic season)—on a surface level, and because it shows while Azrouel's signature line has grown up, he still remains young at heart.

When & Where: Wednesday, February 16 at 9 a.m., the Studio, Lincoln Center
Runway Recap: Yigal Azrouel has built a strong following on his sexy little draped dresses, so at first I was a bit surprised by his fall collection, which leaned heavily on tailored, menswear-inspired pieces. But with each look that came out, I was won over by this major change in silhouette--Azrouel deftly mixed tailored jackets and coats in neutral colors with bright jade green, orange, cobalt blue, and hot pink. The combination was so unexpected, it was one of the most refreshing, modern ways of dressing that I saw all week.
Standout Look: Sorry for the bad picture--I ended up standing and did not have the best view--but this was one of my favorite examples of the overall look: a wool knit jacket, leather vest, mink infinity scarf, tuxedo shirt, and bright pink wool pants. Note to self: Go buy brightly colored pants ASAP.
Bonus Points: The attendance for 9 a.m. shows tend to be sparse, but every seat was taken--and the standing section was packed--at this show. It was also on Vanessa Hudgens' must-hit list, and indie darling Greta Gerwig was in the front row as well (and went virtually unnoticed by the paparazzi).
Where to Buy: Click here to find a store.

Just weeks ago I reported Uniqlo was collaborating with Velvet, and now, as of this morning, that collection has hit the store. Racked reports that everything is very soft and under $20, and that there are still a ton of pieces in stock. It may not be reinventing the wheel, but I'll take a nice pair of jersey harem pants or a cute tank dress any day.

On a slightly more exciting note, Fashionista has pictures from the upcoming Mark Fast for Topshop collection, which lands in stores next Friday, June 25. Prices should be in the $!00-$200 range (unless Topshop decides to jack up the exchange rate), and, um, I will take one of these, please. (Side note: Fashionista has vastly improved after hiring the knowledgeable Lauren Sherman as its editor. If you had given up on it, I suggest giving it another try.)


Not quite masstige but definitely on the more affordable side come two items of good news. One is that Viva Vena, Vena Cava's lower-priced line, has released a lookbook, and Elle has it. Everything will reportedly retail for under $200, and the line is due in stores this fall. In even better news, one of my favorite designers, Yigal Azrouel, is repositioning his Y Yigal line as Cut 25 [subscription required], a broader contemporary collection with more separates and more of a cooler, downtown-girl aesthetic. The line should retail for about a third the cost of Azrouel's main collection, and it will debut exclusively at Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, and Intermix in July.

Of the 35 shows I saw, here are my personal favorite ten, in no particular order.

Vena Cava
Airy chiffon dresses and quirky prints meet leather pants and punky details to create a downtown girl's ultimate wardrobe.


Rad Hourani
Without regard to season or trend, Rad further refines his signature look of boxy biker jackets and skinny pants.


Tibi
With bright colors, pretty prints, and a Guns N Roses soundtrack, Tibi delivered a breath of fresh spring air.



Yigal Azrouel
The draped jersey dresses, pegged trousers, and washed leather jackets of my dreams.


Toni Maticevski
With artfully shredded tulle and sooty colors, decaying glamour has never looked more beautiful.


Max Azria
It looks like Max Azria has found a strong voice for his signature line: an edgy minimalist sophisticate.


Rebecca Minkoff
Totally on-trend, wearable looks that gave a nod to early-'90s Versace and the Supermodels.


Chado Ralph Rucci
Impeccable from start to finish, with an incredible regard for a woman's body, a gorgeous collection that twisted and turned around the spine.


Nicole Miller
The perfect juxtaposition between techno-sleek structure versus soft fluidity.


Ports 1961
A lovely voyage to Japan, rendered in gorgeous fabrics and shapes that effortlessly floated away from the body.

Where & When: Friday, September 11th at 11 a.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: I'm often asked what designers I'd wear if money were no object, and one of my answers is always Yigal Azrouel. He is a master of draping, and his clothes manage to look both incredibly sexy and totally relaxed at the same time--you'd think that wearing them instantly makes you one of those effortlessly cool people who seems at ease in her own skin. Which is what must happen when one wears his modern-goddess asymmetrical jersey dresses, layered with bandeau bras, that came down the runway today. There were also pleated, cropped pants (which seems to be the shape for fall thus far, as I've been seeing them everywhere), tops with shoulder detail, drool-worthy washed leather jackets, and, for an extra measure of sexiness, ruched bandage and cutout dresses (yet another trend for spring). These are the clothes my dreams are made of: trend-conscious, but not overtly fashion-victimy; sexy, but subtle; feminine, but not girly; not perfect, but just right.
Standout Look: This slightly '80s-ish dress was one of my favorites of the collection. It has just a bit of the Yigal-signature draping at the waist, and the shoulder embellishment is new for him. Between the shoulder detail and the waist draping, plus the subtly shaped skirt, this dress is sensually designed to emphasize the waist, which, if you ask me, is never a bad thing.
Bonus Points: Much ado has been made about the sexiness of Azrouel himself, a rare straight male designer in a women's and gay men's world. After seeing him take his runway bow, let me just say, Katie Lee Joel, I totally get it.
Where to Buy: Yigal Azrouel boutique, 408 W. 14th St. (9th Ave. & Washington St.).