Cheryl Shops

Where & When: Friday, September 10 at 3 p.m., the Theatre, Lincoln Center
Runway Recap: Long designed by Tia Cibani, her sister, Fiona, has now taken over Ports 1961 and, well, let's just say there's a new sheriff in town. The line still draws inspiration from far-flung locales (this collection drew from the North African desert), but I found the line to be...a bit different. Yes, the fabrics were gorgeous, with rich shades of purple and green and sapphire blue, and prints that evoked sandy landscapes. Yes, the collection was glamorous, with sensually draped cuts and fluid shapes. Yes, the models, with their pumped-up hair and doe eyes, looked sexy. And yet, I felt that something was missing--Ports 1961 caters toward a working woman, and I couldn't help but think most of the dresses shown were not appropriate for a professional woman, at least for daytime wear. Where were the modernized sheath dresses and layering jackets, the smart skirts and foundation-making shells? I hope for Ports 1961's loyal clientele that there were more practical looks that didn't quite make it to the runway.
Standout Look: That said, I absolutely loved this dress, from the color to the shape--it was sexy but smart. (And because the back was so gorgeous, I'm including a shot of that too).
Bonus Points: Ports 1961 called in the big guns for this show--Freja Beha opened, and Estee Lauder face Hilary Rhoda walked in it as well.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.

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: Thursday, September 10th at 3 p.m., the Tent, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Ports 1961's designer, Tia Cibani, tends to base each collection on a different faraway land (Iceland, India, etc.), and while her program notes didn't specify an exact location this time around, there was a definite Japanese inspiration, from the ink-print dresses that opened the show to the obi belts and origami pleats that transpired throughout. Cibani has a true eye for fabrics, creating architectural shapes out of organza and draped silhouettes from slinky metallics, and the way she constructs garments shows a true understanding of a woman's body and what flatters it.
Standout Look: With Cibani's light hand, Japanese-inspired details like the obi belt seem delicate and feminine, not costumey. I liked how this dress appeared to float away from the body while still emphasizing the waist.
Bonus Points: Don't get me wrong--I love beauty products as much as the next girl, but I really like it when designers feed you. So thanks to Ports 1961 for the nougat candies--they were the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
Where to Buy: Click here for stores.

Cheryl Shops...new stores in the Meatpacking District and West Village
One of the best things about getting my hair done at Sally Hershberger Downtown--well, except for my hair itself--is that afterward, I get to go shopping in the Meatpacking District. I always make a trip to Jeffrey, which has some of the most lovely salespeople in the city. Sometimes I go into Alexander McQueen (although not this time). But this time, I had a bunch of new boutiques to check out and plenty of time in which to do it, while I waited for MW to shower and subway over to join me for brunch.

Washington Street is home to several new stores; Cintra Wilson pretty much said anything you'd need to know about Vince in her Critical Shopper column last week, so I didn't even bother. I also didn't go into the fairly new Paige Premium Denim store, partly out of reverence for its former tenant, the awesome Dernier Cri, and partly because Paige jeans don't fit me well anyway. It seems Scoop has reconfigured its stores; there's now a "Scoop It Up" outlet, and while I was tempted by a brocade 3.1 Phillip Lim skirt for $129, that was about all that caught my eye. A few doors down is the Helmut Lang boutique, which I thought I had heard was having an awesome sale, but that must have been at least a month ago, because everything that's in there now is from the spring collection, and full price, including this amazing featherweight leather and knit jacket, which, from what I can remember, was $1300. (Wasn't Helmut Lang supposed to be selling at a contemporary price point?) I do like what Michael and Nicole Colovos have done with the label, however the line turns up fairly frequently on Gilt Groupe and RueLaLa (as well as at Clothingline's sample sales), so I will wait for those.

I was most excited about Zadig & Voltaire, a French chain that was one of my favorites from my Paris trip; as I reported last summer, they already have a store in L.A., and while the New York store was supposed to open last fall, well, a few months late is better than never. Z&V has a very rock-chic vibe, with lots of tissue-weight knits, skinny yet slouchy pants, excellent leather bags, and subtle tattoo motifs that are more tasteful than tacky. I loved this butterfly sweater so much, I had to walk away quickly, lest I be unable to leave the store without it. I didn't buy anything at Z&V while in Paris (the exchange rate was atrocious when I was there), nor did I this time, but the prices weren't as bad as I had expected: Simple tanks were $90-ish; layered-look tunics veered into the high $200s. The aforementioned leather bags were so great, I was afraid to look at the price tags. The store is vast (unlike Helmut Lang, it appears to have the entire spring/summer line in stock), and the salespeople are friendly. My only complaint, however, is like most of the stores in the Meatpacking District, you have to ask a salesperson for your size--a concept I can understand when we're dealing with $2,000 dresses but not really with clothes at this price point.

I was also eager to visit the Ports 1961 boutique, which, after over a year of construction delays, finally opened during Fashion Week. Like the clothes, the store is a mix of textures, influences, and styles--a little quirky, but cool. In addition to the spring/summer line of clothes and accessories, they also have artsy books, knickknacks, and fragrances for sale; if the clothes are not your cup of tea, there are definitely some gift possibilities here.

After quick stops in Zero + Maria Cornejo (where I fell in love with this dress) and Maison Martin Margiela (where I ogled the gorgeous peak-sleeve jackets), I headed over to Bleecker Street. First, I popped into Bond No. 9 quickly to test the new Brooklyn fragrance; it's a fresh-woody scent, which is normally right up my alley, and from what I smelled of it, I liked it. Unlike most of the other Bond scents, however, it was gone from my arm is less than two hours. Love the bottle though. I also stopped into Mulberry quickly to check out the Mitzy Messenger bag in person; at $495, I found it pretty reasonably priced, considering the good reputation Mulberry bags carry (pun intended). I was really excited, however, about the new Diptyque boutique; ever since their location on Newbury Street in Boston had closed, there'd been a void in my life. Diptyque is best known for its candles, however I am a big fan of their personal-fragrance line--I wear Philosykos (a fig scent) in the summer. While I was almost seduced by the $72 body cream, I decided to spring for a small set of four fragrances, which was conveniently 50% off. (I even got samples too!) The store is very chic with its black walls and white displays, and the salesperson was very gracious and knowledgable. Funny how after a day of looking at $1500 leather jackets and even $300 cotton sweaters, an $88 perfume seems like a bargain.

Ports 1961 Fall 2009
Where & When: Thursday, February 19th at 3 p.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: The travel-themed Ports 1961 line always journeys to a different country for its shows; this season, it was to India, for the rich culture and creativity of the Mughai Dynasty. Instead of the Bollywood explosion of color and embellishment that you'd imagine, however, designer Tia Cibani used a light hand, starting with a beige palette accented with metallics before delving into gray, black, and finally bright red and magenta. She also played with transparent fabrics like organdy and heavier ones like brocade and burnout velvet. It was gorgeous and yet extremely wearable, with fitted sheath dresses, flattering peplum jackets, and asymmetrical evening dresses delicately draped like saris. After seeing so many shows that played it safe with dark colors, and, to the other extreme, some totally out-there creations, Ports 1961 struck a perfect balance with clothes that looked new and inspiring.
Standout Look: This was a gorgeous asymmetrical pleated mousseline coat, over a dress of the same fabric. I am normally not one for metallic fabrics, but this was light and delicate and sparkly, and I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
Bonus Points: The Bhangra band Red Baraat played live during the show, with relaxing music that made me feel like I was at my yoga class. Also, a special thank-you to the lovely people at Atelier PR, who gave me a seat for this show (which was definitely welcome after last season's debacle). A seat that was, I kid you not, two rows directly behind Anna Wintour!
Where to Buy: The just-opened Ports 1961 Boutique at 3 9th Avenue in the Meatpacking District. Shop online or find more stores at Ports 1961's website.

Dear Ports 1961...
Please book a bigger venue for your show. Last season I was one of about 10 standing people who made it in; this time no standing invitees made it. Watching your kooky shows on a TV screen doesn't quite have the same effect. kthanxbye.

And, coming tomorrow: reviews of Sergio Davila, Gottex, and whatever shows I make it to tomorrow (I am dragging serious ass--time for a good night's sleep). Four days down, four days to go!

Ports 1961 Fall 2008
Where & When: Monday, February 4th at 7 p.m. in the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: The Ports 1961 show is usually a more quiet affair, but last night's show was packed to the rafters with magazine editors, starlets, and department-store buyers; I guess word finally got out that the line is one to watch. Or, more likely, that designer Tia Cibani's travel-inspired collection--this time, the destination was the Scottish Highlands--is filled with work-friendly, wearable, but still thoughtful pieces, a wise investment in these uncertain times. As one would expect, there was a healthy dose of plaid (a big trend for fall), as well as some smart tweed suits, but to me, the best pieces were the slim but elegantly draped dresses, which I suspect will still be popular come fall.
Standout Look: I always love a little velvet for fall, but while the fabric has the tendency to look stiff, Cibani's velvet dresses were fluid and draped for a soft, flattering silhouette.
Bonus Points: The Ports 1961 gift is always a bit on the wack-a-doo side and this time was no exception. The Fug Girls put it best: "knitted horns on necklaces, punctuated with buttons? We don't know how else to explain them."
Where to Buy: Saks Fifth Avenue, Ports1961.com