Front Row — Page 62

Rivini by Rita Vinieris Bridal Fall 2015

October 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

With Rita Visnieris there is always a surprise element to her bridal collections. And Rita Vinieris is one of a handful of bridal designers that understands that the needs of modern brides go beyond traditional bridal gowns in familiar bridal silhouettes.

For fall 2015, I wanted to explore the concept of “Soft Seduction.” I took all of my favorite go-to items … a sweatshirt, an oversized tunic, a sexy bustier and a simple tee shirt and create some untraditional interpretations. I also explored options of scale, from minimal to grand using a vocabulary of translucent fabrics that float and play with light, quietly seducing the eye,” explained Vinieris in the line sheer for her fall 2015 bridal collection.

From Vinieris’ lace sweatshirt over cigarette pant with tulle train, crystallized cocoon tankette with transparent underskirt to Vinieris’ minimalist sheath with subtle cutouts, and satin gown with crystals dripping on shoulders and train, this outing collection was the right combination of next and now. Though there were some tried-and-true silhouettes in this outing—Vinieris’ voluminous fil coupe ballgown and her layered Alencon lace with a layered organza skirt—this collection was created for the young bride that wants something elegant but different.

Images courtesy of Presley Ann Slack

And Vinieris achieved just that in this outing. Understanding that the modern bride sometimes wears more than one garment for her nuptials, Rita Vinieris gave her bride a variety of options. And in today’s competitive market, choice is king, or should I say queen!!

—William S. Gooch

Christos Bridal and Kenneth Pool Bridal Fall 2015

October 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Sparkling dazzle and youthful elegance. The two themes represent two very distinct bridal personae that can sometimes have the potential for going all sorts of wrong in different ways.

Fortunately, bridal designer Amsale Abrerra brings a clear focus and spirited embrace of both sides of the bridal coin. Abrerra’s Kenneth Pool represents the sparkle side while Christos is the personification of youthful elegance. Or rather, we should say three sides to the bridal coin since Abrerra also continues to give her main, Amsale line, plenty of attention as well.

A separate review of the Amsale collection appears elsewhere on the site.

What makes Abrerra’s lines so noteworthy isn’t that there is variety. That spice of the bridal business life is almost standard today.

But Abrerra consistently finds ways to make each of her lines distinctive and yet imbue all of them with a unified design aesthetic and an overall elegant sensibility.

The fall 2015 Christos collection moved from the spring collection’s youthful sweetness to a more mature but still dreamy romanticism.

Lace, silk chiffon, and tulle combined for a series of nine looks that epitomized delicacy, a light ethereal airiness.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

The infusion of lace was particularly important here as Abrerra used it not only for overlay skirts and overall layers but also for details that lent the collection a vintage feel. One silk chiffon gown, for example, featured soft Chantilly lace ruffle sleeves that gently accented the shoulders. A layered silk chiffon and georgette gown showed a hint of lace at the décolleté.

Another in the vintage-flavored line seemed straight of the 1930s—a silk chiffon draped gown with crystal hand beading at the neckline and back, with a delicate bit of lace edging the neckline.

Adding to this dreamscape was Abrerra’s use of soft layers, many of which were done with a pale pastel such as a fit to flare halter gown in soft tulle and layered with a very pale mint tulle and several gowns in pale blush.

If the Christos line is the essence of dreamy vintage romanticism than its sister line, Kenneth Pool, is the stylistic yang —sexy, modern and glamorous.

This is where sparkle lives. But, thankfully, under Abrerra’s watchful eye, it’s an elegant and tasteful brand of dazzle. The designer’s taste meter remains pitch perfect.

The fall 2015 Kenneth Pool collection was particularly notable for its range. With the 10 gowns in this collection, Abrerra showed that there’s more than one way to make a sparkling statement.

And so there was a long sleeve fit-to flare gown to open with a white crystal hand beaded net-like overlay bodice and a detachable long train. An eye-catching fit-to-flare hand beaded crystal gown with sheer back detailing that featured a recurring design motif—a pattern of beaded scalloped shapes that flattered the curves followed.

Several gowns were done in a figure-hugging stretch charmeuse including a fit-to-flare halter gown with a crystal hand beaded neckline. Deeply scooped sweetheart necklines prevailed, although as the halter gown showed, there was room for variation.

And just when it seemed that fit to flare would be the only way to define sexy, Abrerra turned up the volume, literally.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

A dropped waist ball gown with a tulle skirt and a taffeta peplum that bordered on being overly fussy, still kept the sexy vibe with a hand beaded appliqué detailed bodice that featured a sheer illusion back. And a final strapless dropped waist ball gown showed the designer’s gift for modulation presenting a bodice entirely void of sparkle but a dramatic pouf of a tulle skirt over a shimmering layer of tulle.

—Karyn D. Collins

Oleg Cassini Bridal Fall 2015

October 10, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

For Oleg Cassini, tradition reigns supreme. And the brand’s affinity for creating gowns that appeal to the bride who has a predilection for refined opulence was evident in its fall 2015 collection.

Drawing inspiration from a Parisian drawing room illuminated with crystal chandeliers, which reflects the exquisite details of Oleg Cassini’s sophisticated collection, was the focal point of this collection. This motif carried throughout the collection, highlighting bridal gowns featuring floral appliqués and embroidered lace with crystal accents.

Lace gowns embellished with sequins and polished crystals are always a constant with Cassini combined with a nod toward the 1960s, evidenced this season with glove accessories, pearl necklaces, tiaras, and white sunglasses. However, this season Cassini’s bridal was more effervescent and youthfully focused than in previous outings.

This projection toward, perhaps a younger bride who has a penchant for classic, traditional silhouettes was most evident in the three tea-length dresses in the collection. Also, by incorporating youthful 60s hairstyles the collection possessed more buoyancy and bounce, so to speak.

Image courtesy of Presley Ann Slack

Still, Oleg Cassini’s design team never strays too far from the tried and true signature aesthetic of the brand. And this season Cassini’s signature look combined with more youthful projection gave the brand a much-needed facelift. And the tea-length dresses—which could easily double as cotillion gowns—were a refreshing addition.

—William S. Gooch

Ines Di Santo Bridal Fall 2015

October 10, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Ines Di Santo looked to modern-day Art Deco and the purity of winter for her fall 2015 bridal collection. Exploring texture, shape and how fit and form apply to the sensuous area of the neck, shoulders and back became the focal point of Di Santo’s sumptuous collection.

Having solidly established herself as a couture bridal designer, for fall 2015 Ines Di Santo pulled out all the stops, setting her runway collection in the pristine and lush Academy Mansion. And the Academy Mansion was the perfect setting for Di Santo’s dissertation on her elegant masterpieces of bridal art.

Art Deco influences were expressed in sequin, architectural beading and pearl detailing on the gowns. And interestingly this season, di Santo strayed away from populating her collection with mostly mermaid silhouettes, and including princess ball gowns, sheath gowns, and fit-to-flare gowns.

Di Santo also included a variety of necklines from the traditional sweetheart and bateau to deep-cut, V-shaped front lines and low keyhole backs. Di Santo embraced fabrications of organza, embroidered tulle, double-faced silk gowns, silk crepe georgette, and peau de sole with English netting for volume. Di Santo also featured the trends of high slits, illusions and cutouts.

Images courtesy of Presley Ann Slack

Though her column and sheath gowns were understated, the intricate Art Dec-inspired beading added texture and a glam element. Standouts in the collection were Di Santo’s pearl-engineered luxurious silk crepe georgette sheath bateau beaded build up, plunging neckline with high slit and illusion back, strapless silk peau de sole with fit-to-flare silhouette and dramatic low V-back accessorized with Swarovski and pearl-engineered beaded illusion cape finished with elegant satin bow at waist, and petal pink multilayered ball gown with ornate beaded bodice, softly scooped neckline and beaded illusion straps gown features delicate cutouts floral motifs with dramatic cathedral-length train.

—William S. Gooch

Anne Barge Bridal Fall 2015

October 10, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

When it comes to classic bridal silhouettes, Anne Barge is right up there in the bridal pantheon alongside Dennis Basso, Oleg Cassini, Anna Maier, and Alfred Angelo. This season Anne Barge did not veer too far away from what is working for the brand; which is a good choice.

A master at finding ways to keep classic silhouettes fresh and interesting, this season Barge infused her fall 2015 collection with the current trends of sheer illusions, cutouts, beaded and sequined midriff embellishments, and detachable skirts. Though Barge stayed true to her brand’s penchant for traditional bridal gowns, for fall 2015 the brand embraced interesting fabrications—Kalika linen, dupioni, and satin stripe organza—that elevated the collection to a dissertation on where traditional bridal gowns are heading.

Though this outing was mostly a bridal compendium on traditional silhouettes—mermaid, fit-to-flare, ball gowns, A-line and sheath gowns—, Barge did experiment with some modern trends. Her detachable train was a departure from bridal looks we have seen in past collections, as well as her venture into masculine/feminine perspectives seen in a strapless gown with charmeuse lapels, jeweled buttons, a belt and deep pockets.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

Standouts in the collection were Barge’s mini dress of dupioni and Alencon lace with bateau neckline and deep V-back, separate overskirt of dupioni accented b Alencon lace bodering front opening, tailored stapless gown of satin stripe organza with band at neckline an self belt accented with rhinestone buckle, and strapless trumpet gown of Kalika with notched neckline accented by Alencon lane and empire pleated band of charmeuse.

—William S. Gooch

Theia Bridal Fall 2015

October 9, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Theia’s Bridal collections are always full of surprises; pleasant surprises that is. Creative director Don O’Neill always expands beyond the tried and true and produces bridal collections that cause a re-imagining of what brides can wear on that very special day.

That said; Theia’s fall 2015 collection was no exception. For fall 2015 Don O’Neill looked to Mongolia’s frozen tundra, the eternally snowcapped Altai Mountains with blue rivers flowing through its glaciers. This combination of glacial beauty and crystalline, snowcapped landscape was made evident in a collection of white chiffon bridal gowns resembling icy snowdrifts, heavy Venice winter lace, hand woven ribbon tweeds, tulle white outs, ice blue fil coupe jacquards, cozy cashmeres, curly lamb wraps and crystal and sequin embellishments.

For fall 2015 Theia also collaborated with socially conscious Mongolian-based cashmere brand, Naadam. With that in mind, O’Neill brought together the polar opposite worlds of Irish fishermen and the Mongolian tundra by expressing these two cultures as seen in his winter white Fisherman knit “Naadam” cashmere gown and crystal encrusted turtle neck ivory crepe gown.

Though O’Neill chose to use heavier and more layered fabrics than are normally seen in spring/summer bridal collection, O’Neill still managed to keep this bridal outing youthful and on trend. What could be more youth inspired than O’Neill’s winter white Chantilly lace jumpsuit, O’Neill’s wintry glacier blue gowns, and bridal garments that embraced the continuing trend of crop tops—which Theia so brilliantly introduced for spring 2015—this season fittingly expressed in cashmere crops in silver metallic, icicle sequins, and encrusted crystal.

Still, there were silhouettes and looks in this collection for a variety of brides. O’Neill still incorporated some traditional bridals looks as seen in his ivory silk charmeuse gown hand embroidered with Swarovski crystals and an ivory Spanish tulle strapless gown with hand embroidered sequin and pearl bodice.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

Standouts in the collection were the winter white embroidered hand woven ribbon tweed coat with Duchess satin shawl collar, winter white Chantilly lace jumpsuit with Venice lace appliqué and Mongolian lace wrap, ivory cashmere sweater, double duchess satin skirt, winter white fisherman knit “ Naadam” cashmere gown, and porcelain and mirrored sequin, hand embroidered icicle gown.

—William S. Gooch

Vivienne Hu Spring 2015

September 12, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Something is going on? Most fashion designers find their passion for designing clothes early in life and follow a particular career path to achieve their dream of showing during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW). Whether they competed on “Project Runway” or struggled for years for the opportunity to show at “the Tents,” despite the many defections—DVF, Christian Siriano, Ralph Rucci, Tracy Reese and others—away from “the Tents” at Lincoln Center, a lot of designers still aspire to show their collections during MBFW.

Still, there seems to be a significant amount of designers whose path now leads them out of the world of finance into the fashion industry. Vivienne Hu is one such designer. And though her debut at Lincoln Center was auspicious, it was not quite a singular sensation.

Hu likes to play with asymmetrical shapes and in her spring 2015 outing she paired asymmetrical shapes with graphic prints. This specific point of view was utilized by Hu in her spring 2014 collection; however, with much better effect this time around. Hu is still trying to master the combination of graphic details with asymmetrical cuts and layering, and unfortunately this assemblage of points of view renders looks that are sometimes disjointed.

Images courtesy of zimbio.com

Where these combinations of fabrications, silhouettes and details work best is when Hu decides to stay with neutrals and keep the silhouettes simple. Standouts in the collection were Hu’s mauve and pale tangerine draped chiffon dress, asymmetrical grey vest jacket with grey pencil pants, and asymmetrical striped grey graphic print dress.

—William S. Gooch

Ricardo Seco Spring 2015

September 12, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Ricardo Seco seeks to firmly put Mexico on the fashion map with his current collection for spring 2015, entitled “DREAMS.” Staying true to his Mexican origins, Seco was inspired by the Wixárika tribe and incorporated the beading and multi-colored details of the native community into this collection. Juxtaposed to simple pieces and classic silhouettes, the tribal fruit-colored designs were also seen in the accessories, such as belts, necklaces, skateboards—that look too cool to ride—and custom New Balance sneakers. Not new to creative collaborations, Seco has also partnered with Converse, Casa Cuervo, and Disney in the past.

“My collection DREAMS is a collaboration with the Wixárika, an indigenous community from Mexico, who are known for their beading. As they create each beaded piece they put their dreams into their work. With these pieces and the World Trade Center venue I made a collection for future dreams and the next generation that will live and work here. This collection and its venue are standing for the generation of future dreamers to come,” states Seco.

Making his New York debut in 2012 as a menswear designer, this time around, Seco also showed his first women’s collection as an equal counterpart to his men’s collection. His women’s wear included skirts, bombers and jumpsuits that evoke global thoughts of chic Paris and laidback L.A., especially his leather dresses and tops. His men’s pieces included shorts, pants, and shirts that translate from rocker to skateboarder, particularly his jackets. Wanting to impart an appearance of truly global fashion, Seco combined Wixárika colors with urban neutrals of black, white, and grey in textures of suede, leather, cotton, neoprene, and silk.

Images courtesy of Ernest Green

This collection will easily sellable and will seamlessly blend into almost anyone’s current wardrobe. Seco doesn’t offer anything too visually shocking, but every piece, whether for women or men, offers the simplicity of comfort without sacrificing style.

—Carl Ayers

DARKOH Spring 2015

September 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Joyce Darkoh is one of the few female designers that specialize in menswear. A graduate of Germany’s prestigious Modeschule Schloss Eller, Joyce has spent over a decade refining her skills in men’s made-to-order suiting. In response to the high demand of in-between sizes and body shapes—which require made-to-measure services—and the request for instant product availability; Joyce launched her eponymous ready-to-wear line, DARKOH, in 2013.

The brand is anchored by its use of high quality worsted wool from renowned English and Italian mills. However, for spring/summer 2015, Joyce presented suits made of modern fabrics such as denim, light cotton, and multi-color tweed. Her color palette for spring 2015 also took a divergent trail; while previous collections had been dominated by darker, earthy and industrial hues, this time she opted for pale pinks, vibrant blues, crisp whites, and chocolate browns.

Aside from an eye-catching color selection, Joyce gives her customer an array of options for the cut and fit of his chosen garments. There were the ever-trendy, slim cut, single-breasted suits as well as classic American double-breasted options that, while more full-bodies, also maintained a slimming silhouette. For the more casual gentleman looking for nonsuit selections, there were woven tops and a multicolor silk tweed overcoat. However, the truly eye catching standouts were the washed indigo double breasted suit, the pink and tan woven suit, and the dark blue/white dotted tuxedo.

Images courtesy of Omen PR/Dennis Madigan Photography

The entire collection was stunning, from start to finish, including the amazing accessories by Hayes Hamilton. With a penchant for creating custom suits for men of all shapes and styles, DARKOH is a sure hit for any man, whether he’s a linebacker or desk jockey.

—Carl Ayers

Ohne Titel Spring 2015

September 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Let the work out begin! Sexy, Sporty, and Strong are the three words that describe Ohne Titel’s warrior woman this season. Warrior woman refers to the strength that the Ohne Titel woman must possess. The spring/summer 2015 season did not disappoint and in fact makes one want to get in shape and expand that work out regime.

In a base neutral color palette of black and white, collection’s hues were firm with occasional streams of various bold blues, pop pink, turquoise, and yellow. Athletic references were apparent with sports net sweatshirts, blouses, inlays and bandeau tops. Asymmetrical cut out dresses were sexy with knee-length silhouettes and slashes of banded contrasting colors. A couple of full volume trousers and jumpsuits were freeing and great for the season, a great alternative to some of the more body conscious dresses and mini skirts.

Images courtesy of style.com

Ohne Titel, a designer label by Flora Gill and Alexa Adams, is German for ‘Untitled.’ This season the Serengeti comes to mind and the beauty of Masai tribes; admiring their sleek, athletic, elongated limbs, and colorful banded jewelry on arms and legs with fringe drapes across their skin. Ohne Titel’s collection is the perfect fashion moment for that woman who is an urban warrior.

—Kelly L. Mills