Fashion Weak, Fashion Bleak: Part Two
–Steven Salazar, Designer, Confident Clothing
It continues to amaze me how these supposedly creative designers can continue to release mediocre collections only to be praised by alleged critics of the fashion industry. Wrapping up Fall 2003 Fashion Week in New York was yet another line up of one disappointment after another.
As the Merry Go Round Turns
Designers continued to spew chunks on the runway towards the latter part of the Fall 2003 Fashion Week in New York and London. Bill Blass, designed these days by Lars Nilsson, was probably the most boring of all. When Mr. Nilsson was first brought under the Bill Blass label the fashion industry heralded the occasion. Mr. Nilsson was fresh, talented and ready to massage the label back into the powerhouse it once was. He had such a wonderful start and it seemed as though the rays of golden sunshine would once again glisten upon the faded design house.
This collection however was nothing but a shadow of what Mr. Nilsson could be doing. Agreed, we are in quite a retrospective slump indeed, but everything he designed could have been created by the dead, cold hands of Mr. Blass himself. That is to say, Mr. Nilsson abandoned his own clever creativity only to recreate the same rubbish that caused the house to diminish in the first place.
Better Luck Next Time
While viewing Jill Stuart’s collection I had great flashbacks of rummaging through my grandmother’s closet wondering what frock I would put on next. You read correctly, as a child, I do admit with great pride, I would parade around my grandmother’s house in her lovely dresses and her killer high heeled “Charlie’s Angel’s” boots. I quiver with delight each time I think of those boots. There was even a dress in the collection, which reminded me of the time I decided my grandmother’s lace tablecloth would make quite a stunning evening gown, and indeed it did. Unfortunately though, that is where Ms. Stuart’s last collection should have remained…in our memory.
Oh Luella, what do I say? However terrible the collection was, one thing rings true: she finally accurately depicted the schoolgirl look most often seen in Ivy League dormitory and fraternity house hallways: like they just rolled out of their boyfriend’s beds after a night of delightful romping. Unfortunately, the only thing delightful about this look is the afterglow of just having had the best sex of your young teenage and early twenties’ life. Now that is something that cannot be emulated by any amount of clothing or dirty gin martinis!
In London, Paul Smith, another designer I have admired over the years, really did some damage! His collection seemed to have been inspired by a broken kaleidoscope viewing a 1970s copy of Vogue. His use of mustard yellows and bleak browns in huge hard-edged geometric shapes were caustic to the eye.
Winner’s Circle
The only member of this week’s Winner’s Circle is London’s Julien McDonald. His use of fur was brilliantly translated into a coat that would cause me to take a second mortgage out on my house; if only I wasn’t an apartment dweller! A few of his garments were varying sizes and widths of webbing and netting that distinctly reminded me of the light shows frequently seen illuminating a night club dance floor. Most of his collection was extremely reminiscent of early Bond films. Indeed, his representation was quite delicious. (Source: www.style.com)
New Products
This week’s new product highlight is Louis Vuitton’s new collection designed out of the multicolored Monogram Canvas against a white background. Marc Jacobs employed the pure artistic genius of Takashi Murakami. Mr. Murakami is part of Japan’s Neo-Pop movement. His interpretation of the monogram canvas has left me breathless. It is being applied to the hard-sided luggage as well as being designed into a fresh set of heavily adorned handbags. Rumor has it… Sarah Jessica Parker is on a six-month waiting list.
-Steven Salarazar – Designer, Confident Clothing
stevenjsalazar@hotmail.com
