Twinkle by Wenlan Fall 2009

Wenlan Chia delivered a “timeless chic” experience in her Fall 2009 presentation at the Classic Car Club. From the trendy West Village location to the brilliant refreshments (an old-fashioned popcorn stand and glass Coke bottles wooed the crowds), Twinkle’s fall collection enthuses a “fusion of memory lane and runway” with special tribute to Audrey Hepburn, a gal whose life radiated incredible style and purpose.

A quick runway presentation was given before guests got to mingle and examine closer the gorgeous frocks and equally stunning five vintage cars on display. Twinkle’s signature chunky sweaters this season call for oversized comfort – a wool grey reversible sweater features a slimmer body rising up into a double-stranded, extra large cowl neck. Also innovative is the mossy green, triple threat sweater cape dress and a slew of thickly-knit accessories which may render outerwear unnecessary.

Trim and airy pieces, such as the wool plum trenchcoat and strapless slate dress, and the soft blouses and fine gauge cardigans, balance the collection well. Expect vivid hues this fall, seen in Wenlan’s watercolor-spotted and edgy floral prints of citrus yellow and magenta.

As the girls leaned candidly against the Triumph TR6 (this beauty was the same shade as their coral red lips!) or the cobalt blue Ferrari GT4, one couldn’t help but picture a feisty English Rose darting over the crooked cobblestones of a city plaza, a “rebellious socialite” eager for some diversion and adventure come fall.

– Tiffany Chang

Thuy Fall 2009

ThuyDesigner Thuy Diep offered a refreshing and organic collection for Fall 2009, with emphasis on bold hues and languid lines. Rich teals and peacock greens punched through the pewter and black foundation. Form-fitting dresses and coats were also incorporated, although carrying a sort of effortless detailing seen in the “uneven embellishments” of side drawstring ruching, off-balanced pleats, and asymmetrical zippers and piping.

While the lovely mustard yellow (in silk charmeuse) was the color darling of the line, sparkling metallic tunics, gleaming minnow-y prints, and those charming ruched white gloves added a touch of stylish maturity. The crewnecks and a repeated showing of sleek, belted blazers also create a sensible character.

The presentation “hints of renewal and optimism” in the final looks. A series of beautiful ivory pieces, including a loose-cut blouse tucked into a billowing tulip skirt and the evening trenchcoat with puff sleeves, effused an elegant and light-hearted tone. Equally striking are the sharp geometric graphics against fluttering silk. Fall need not be dark and gloomy after all.

– Tiffany Chang

Lela Rose Fall 2009

Photos By Stevyn Llewellyn

For Fall 2009, Lela Rose takes the vibrant canopies of an “enchanted” rainforest and adds a dash of the city girl’s jet-set life to create the ultimate concrete jungle. A shimmery, waterfall-inspired dress looked urban-chic over dark tights while a double-wrapped leather belt provided the right cinch for a gold queen bee gown. Charcoal jackets and graphite skirts certainly complemented the dazzling viridian greens, magentas, and lazuli blues.

Lela Rose’s layering technique mimics that of an “insect’s exoskeleton”, a very intriguing effect seen in the thick armor of the beetle-back trenchcoat, in vivid hues of the dragonfly-esque printed separates, and even in the twisted cream silk of the ethereal cocoon gown. Asymmetrical shoulder detailing added immensely to the aura of “magical creatures” flitting to and fro, weaving through vines and traffic lights.

Additionally, this season Lela Rose has partnered with Payless Shoes to create a line of satin dyeable shoes. A number of styles are available in stores, including round-toe pumps and ankle booties. “Unforgettable Moments” was launched to make finding the perfect pair of shoes, for any special occasion, simple and affordable.

– Tiffany Chang

Photos By Stevyn Llewellyn

The Optimist-Miss Sixty Fall 2009

Miss Sixty 180’s influences and the Miss Sixty show gave birth to a fabulous love child. The spring show in September played into this collection as well, keeping the flower child aura. But this time the berets, much like the rest of the collection, were made of substantial beautiful leathers. The Fall collection amped up the attitude and the fun, like a rumble between Hillbillies and Hell’s Angels. Latter parts of the show gave way to patent puffer dresses and magazine cover prints reminiscent of 60’s pop art.

The show was full of pumping girl-rock music, celebrity status models (a.k.a. Karlie Kloss), messy waved hair, and kohl rimmed intense eyes. The look was feminine but tough, full of leather, hardware, and big bold prints. Obvious homage to the era was shown in acid washed tight jeans, something teen girls everywhere will be yanking up off the Miss Sixty racks. If the recent appearance of acid wash didn’t get your attention before, it just punched you in the face. Large print plaid and harem jeans made a debut together in a playful silhouette evocative of hunter garb, thankfully, sans mullet and shotgun.

The color, while starting off more muted and pattern oriented, grew into a more concentrated primary palette with bright fire engine red, purples, and stark white. Bold printwork reminiscent of early 60’s Lichtenstein art covered pants, dresses, and tops. Patterned and lace tights played in beautifully and modernized the looks, along with black footwear ranging from pumps to pirate boots. Miss Sixty celebrated rock and the extremes, long blousson sleeves to full peplum skirts on dresses. Most everything was “big” from silhouette to printwork, except for the second skin denim.

Even the fur was grungy, matted and black, it looked like someone had taken the arms off of a gorilla and sewn them into cropped jackets, boleros, and scarves that screamed bad-ass. The street-cred of Miss Sixty, however high up there, will definitely get bolstered up another notch after watching this energetic show. Even the models looked like they owned the world, and for a moment we were all in the effervescence of the 80’s and the stock market revival of the 60’s.

-R. Em

Photos by Stevyn Llewellyn
See more Photos from the Miss Sixty show below


Romance in the Shadows: A Downtown Take on Romance

Yigal Azrouel photo by Stevyn Llewellyn

For Fall Yigal Azrouel offered an intriguing take on Romanticism, one that is decidedly dark and moody and yet true to the designer’s downtown sensibility. This modern take on romanticism embraces a strong edgy woman, the kind of woman who is certainly the mistress of her own destiny (and probably lives below 14th street). She defines her femininity not in conventional ruffles and flowers but in a dirtier more visceral take on those themes.
This season Azrouel attempted to marry takes on streamline structured pieces with softer draped looks. In the past the designer has showed an interest in tailoring and he has certainly received note for his way with draping. This season he offered a bit of both. There were dresses with strong sculptural elements, be it peplumed waists or sculpted shoulders. There were also soft draped moments in the way of diaphanous blouses and dresses. The key silhouette appeared to be a narrow leg with a voluminous top: narrow trousers were paired with blouson blouses, Fair Isle cardigans and roomy coats.
In the days of Monsieur Dior it was the designer who dictated la mode, nowadays it is a far more collaborative effort with designers bending an ear to the whims of their clientele. Azourel made no apologies for catering to desires of his wanton followers: offering her leather jackets with stud detailing, wearable trousers both lean and roomy and sensual dresses both draped and structured that were nothing short of the cool she demands. Take the putty colored draped mini dress or the lean, architectural dresses offered for day- all of which oozed an air of modern femininity. This was a well balanced collection that addresses all the dressing needs of the contemporary woman from day to evening. It is promising to see when a designer can hold two thoughts at once- in this collection Azourel toys with the tension between opposites- romantic interludes v.s. renegade barriers and more practically draping v.s. tailored structure.
The palette consisted of shadowy tones ranging from gray to purple with a few shots of vibrant color. Where the range in color was limited Azourel embraced textures. He showed ring spun knits with mink and pin-studded leather with tweed. The mix of elements and textures gave the collection a more luxurious feel. The clothes looked like they would feel good and take you just about anywhere.
What you have to love about Azrouel is that he is relatively young, certainly still in the beginning of his career. One can’t help wonder how far this designer will go as he continues to define his voice and builds a relationship with his audience.
– Alexander Coelho

See more photos from the event below